MAGIC NOTES

DINAH SHORE - BOUQUET OF BLUES (RCA VICTOR 1956) JVC K2 mastering

2012-02-12T02:40:00.004+02:00

One of America's most popular entertainers long after her mid-'40s commercial peak, Dinah Shore was the first major vocalist to break away from the big-band format and begin a solo-billed career. During the '40s, she recorded several of the decade's biggest singles -- "Buttons and Bows," "The Gypsy," and "I'll Walk Alone" -- all of which spent more than a month at number one on the Hit Parade. After launching a television variety series in 1951, Shore appeared on one program or another, with few gaps, into the 1980s.
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Born in rural Tennessee, Dinah Shore was performing on Nashville radio while still a teenager. Her professional career later took her to New York, where she sang with Xavier Cugat. After failing auditions with Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey however, she decided to simply become a solo singer. Shore signed to Bluebird, and recorded several hits during 1940-41, including "Yes, My Darling Daughter," "I Hear a Rhapsody" and "Jim." Her first million-seller came in 1942 with the prototypical blues crossover nugget, "Blues in the Night." Later that year, she moved to Victor and hit big with "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" and her first number one hit, 1944's "I'll Walk Alone." Shore also began appearing in films, including 1944's Up in Arms and 1946's Till the Clouds Roll By.
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The late '40s proved to be her most popular era for recording. Between 1946 and 1949, she hit big with several songs, including "The Gypsy," "I Love You for Sentimental Reasons," "Anniversary Song," "I Wish I Didn't Love You So," "Buttons and Bows" and "Dear Hearts and Gentle People." Though her records didn't chart as high during the '50s, Dinah Shore enjoyed even more exposure with her top-rated variety show, The Dinah Shore Chevy Show. For many, Shore's opening and closing every show with "See the USA in your Chevrolet, America's the greatest land of all" practically defined the '50s. Her Chevrolet sponsorship lasted until 1963, but she returned in the '70s with a new format, the daytime talk-show. During the 1980s, she began performing once again, but returned to television once more with a series that ran for two years. She died of cancer in 1994.[allmusic]
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LITTLE WALTER - THE BEST OF [His First Album] (CHESS 1957) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 3 bonus

2012-02-12T02:36:00.004+02:00

If there's a blues harmonica player alive today who doesn't have a copy of this landmark album in their collection, they're either lying or had their copy of it stolen by another harmonica player. This 12-song collection is the one that every harmonica player across the board cut their teeth on. All the hits are here: "My Babe," "Blues with a Feeling," "You Better Watch Yourself," "Off the Wall," "Mean Old World" and the instrumental that catapulted him from the sideman chair in Muddy Waters' band to the top of the R&B charts in 1952, "Juke." Walter's influence to this very day is so pervasive over the landscape of the instrument that this collection of singles is truly: 1) one of the all-time greatest blues harmonica albums, 2) one of the all-time greatest Chicago blues albums, and 3) one of the first ten albums you should purchase if you're building your blues collection from the ground floor up.[allmusic]
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LEE DORSEY - YA! YA! (FURY 1962) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 4 bonus

2012-02-12T02:33:00.004+02:00

Lee Dorsey epitomized the loose, easygoing charm of New Orleans R&B perhaps more than any other artist of the '60s. Working with legendary Crescent City producer/writer Allen Toussaint, Dorsey typically offered good-time party tunes with a playful sense of humor and a loping, funky backbeat. Even if he's remembered chiefly for the signature hit "Working in a Coalmine," it was a remarkably consistent and winning combination for the vast majority of his recording career.
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Lee Dorsey, the world's funkiest auto mechanic, topped the R&B charts in 1961 with "Ya Ya," a bit of bubblegum soul arranged by Allen Toussaint that exemplifies the sound of his early-'60s Fury recordings. Dorsey was an important and commercially successful product of the New Orleans R&B scene with a sound as distinctive as Fats Domino, and one look at the track list of this 16-track anthology tells you everything you need to know: "Eenie Meenie Mini Mo," "Ixie Dixie Pixie Pie," "Chin Chin," "Yum Yum" (et cetera). Uncluttered grooves, economical horn riffs, playground rhymes and Dorsey's unmistakable voice add up to an appealingly simple formula that yielded one of the most enduring oldies of its era and its similar but lower-charting follow-up, "Do Re Mi." Only "Give Me Your Love," a ballad that uses the ubiquitous R&B triplets Kay Starr disparagingly termed "the claw," breaks the pattern.Ya Ya was digitally mastered from the original tapes and features some first-time stereo...[allmusic]
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THE IMPRESSIONS - THE IMPRESSIONS (ABC-PARAMOUNT 1963) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 1 bonus

2011-12-25T17:35:00.005+02:00

The first Impressions LP was one of the finest debuts of any '60s soul act, though it excelled in part because it featured a backlog of chart singles (five had charted previously, and "It's All Right" became the sixth after it was quickly added to the original program). Curtis Mayfield wrote all but two of the songs, stretching back to 1961's "Gypsy Woman" (which he'd actually written at the age of 14) but mostly including strong 1962-1963 material like the hit "Little Young Lover," "Grow Closer Together," "I'm the One Who Loves You," and "Minstrel and Queen." "It's All Right" was easily the best song here, accented by the group's sublime harmonies, arranger Johnny Pate's swinging horn section, and Mayfield's precise guitar work. The group also showed an unsurprising reverence for classic doo wop, beautifully remaking "Never Let Me Go," a Top Ten R&B hit for Johnny Ace in 1954. Even the closer, a tossed-off novelty called "Twist and Limbo," is an excellent performance and a genuinely fun song. Mayfield's disarmingly brilliant songs were really the only necessary element toward making The Impressions a strong LP, but the mesmerizing vocals and sympathetic arrangements made for a classic work of Chicago soul.[allmusic]
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THE IMPRESSIONS - RIDIN' HIGH (ABC-PARAMOUNT 1966) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2011-12-25T17:32:00.007+02:00

The Impressions were certainly dominating the charts and making wonderful albums in the '60s, and this one didn't break the string. They would depart from ABC in two years, but at this point there were no concerns, even though they didn't match the previous years' glittering array of hits. But their singing was no less emphatic or compelling, nor had Mayfield's writing, productions, or arrangements slipped.
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A sudden jump to the mainstream of mid-60s soul, with far more prominent drumming ("Right On Time"), more piano, swinging horn fills, vibes, and upbeat, enthusiastic tunes. The rousing "Gotta Get Away," for example, recalls Stax artists like Sam & Dave. But there's still plenty of the super-smooth vocalizing their fans expected - "I Need You" is perhaps the best example - and Mayfield gets in a guitar solo on "Too Slow." A lot of the song material is routine, though: "I Need To Belong To Someone" is nearly a note-for-note copy of "People Get Ready." There's only one non-Mayfield tune: the horrific standard "Let It Be Me." Again, produced by Pate.

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THE IMPRESSIONS - WE 'RE A WINNER (ABC 1968) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 2 bonus

2011-12-25T17:29:00.004+02:00

While the title track was one of Mayfield's classic civil rights-conscious anthems, most of this album was actually dedicated to standard romantic themes. This wasn't necessarily a drawback; almost every cut was a quality Mayfield original, and the harmonies and vocal interplay among the group were outstanding. "Nothing Can Stop Me," awhich had been a hit in 1965 for Gene Chandler, was an uptempo highlight, and "Little Brown Boy" showed more of the African-American pride that had been explored in "We're a Winner," albeit in a more tender ballad mode. The closing cover of "Up Up and Away" is misplaced, but overall this is one of the better Impressions albums to pick up if you want more than what's found on the greatest-hits collections, with excellent production and Johnny Pate arrangements throughout.[allmusic]
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BILLY PRESTON - THE MOST EXCITING ORGAN EVER (VEE JAY 1964) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2011-12-06T00:58:00.008+02:00

It's advantageous to get an early start on your chosen career, but Billy Preston took the concept to extremes. By age ten he was playing keyboards with gospel diva Mahalia Jackson, and two years later, in 1958, he was featured in Hollywood's film bio of W.C. Handy, St. Louis Blues, as young Handy himself. Preston was a prodigy on organ and piano, recording during the early '60s for Vee-Jay and touring with Little Richard. He was a loose-limbed regular on the mid-'60s ABC TV series Shindig, proving his talent as both vocalist and pianist, and he built an enviable reputation as a session musician, even backing the Beatles on their Let It Be album.
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As the late John Holmes would tell you, it's damn near impossible to live up to a title as lofty as The Most Exciting Organ Ever, but Billy Preston does his best -- the raw physical power of Preston's performances are matched only by the imagination and virtuosity of his phrasing. The music bridges the sacred and the profane, fusing the deep, bold sound of the church with the razzle-dazzle of R&B. While Preston's innovative use of bass pedals lends the music its pendulous bottom, his melodies defy gravity, soaring and dive bombing like birds of prey in flight.[allmusic]
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A REALLY GREAT ALBUM!! DON'T MISS IT!
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BILLY PRESTON - EARLY HITS OF 1965 (VEE-JAY 1965) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2011-12-06T00:55:00.006+02:00

10 year old Billy Preston began playing keyboards for gospel big names like Mahalia Jackson, Andrae Crouch and James Cleveland. Two years later, he made his feature film acting debut in the W.C. Handy biographical movie “St. Louis Blues” (1958). Regarded a bit as a child genius on piano and organ, he toured with Little Richard and Ray Charles in the 1960s and appeared regularly on the ABC TV musical variety series “Shindig,” where as part of the show's house band he demonstrated his talent as a pianist and singer in the mid 1960s. He also played organ on Sam Cooke's album “Night Beat” (1963).
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Preston eventually signed with Vee-Jay Records and released his first album, “The Most Exciting Organ Ever,” on August 20, 1965, weeks before his 19th birthday. The fully instrumental album was produced by Steve Douglas. Later that same year, he launched a compilation album titled “Early Hits of '65.” His sophomore album, “The Wildest Organ in Town,” followed in March 1966 and was his first record with Capitol Records. It was arranged by Sly Stone and again produced by Steve Douglas. Preston took on co-producing duties for his subsequent album, “Club Meeting,” which was released on March 30, 1967, before he left Capitol and joined Apple Records in the late 1960s.
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Early Hits of'65 released in 1965 & recompiled singles and hits from this year to play with soul arrangements. The album was recorded in the same sessions of The Most Exciting Organ Ever [allmusic]
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THE SPANIELS - THE SPANIELS (VEE-JAY 1960) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 6 bonus

2011-10-03T02:57:00.004+02:00

The story of how the Spaniels came to prominence begins in late 1952, when lead singer Hudson was convinced by four of his Roosevelt High classmates -- Ernest Warren (first tenor), Opal Courtney, Jr. (baritone), Willie Jackson (second tenor), and Gerald Gregory (bass) to join them for a school talent show. They had debuted as Pookie Hudson and the Hudsonaires for the Christmas show and fared so well they decided to continue. Not wanting to join the bird group club (Orioles, Ravens, etc.), they decided on the name Spaniels.
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In the spring, the group visited the local record shop owned by James and Vivian Bracken, who had begun developing a record label called Vee-Jay Records. They soon moved their operation to Chicago, in a garage off 47th Street (later they would relocate to offices at 1449 South Michigan Avenue). The Spaniels were one of the first two artists signed to the label (the other was blues guitarist Jimmy Reed). On May 5, 1953, the Spaniels recorded "Baby It's You," released in July. On September 5, "Baby" hit number ten on the national R&B best-seller charts.
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The Spaniels' next session produced additional singles, including "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight," which took off in March 1954, but it took about six months for the record to break nationally, charting at number five on the R&B charts. Its success prompted the McGuire Sisters to cover it for the "white" market, stealing a lot of the Spaniels' thunder when their version landed in the Top Ten (number seven).
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The Spaniels' next single, "Let's Make Up," earned more for songwriter Hudson as someone else's B-side when it appeared on the flip of the Top 20 hit "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" (number 14, 1955). On June 11, 1954, the Spaniels made the first of numerous appearances at the Apollo Theatre and began touring the greater Midwest. Another single, "You Painted Pictures," reached number 13 R&B in October.
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After Opal Courtney, Jr. was drafted, Vee-Jay A&R man and Spaniels producer Calvin Carter was pressed into service during their road trips for a few months until James "Dimples" Cochran took over permanently. Shortly thereafter, Ernest Warren was drafted and the group continued recording as a quartet. Two subsequent Spaniels singles failed to connect. Disappointed, Pookie Hudson and Willie Jackson both decided to leave the group. The Spaniels bravely continued on, with Carl Rainge (lead), Gerald Gregory (bass), James Cochran (baritone), and Don Porter (second tenor). This contingent lasted for only one single until Pookie rejoined.
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In April 1957, Vee-Jay released the first full-length album, Goodnight, It's Time to Go. By mid-summer, the group was back to turning out terrific singles. Incidentally, around this same time Hank Ballard (of Hank Ballard & the Midnighters) had just re-written the Drifters' 1955 number two pop hit "What'cha Gonna Do" -- already a revision of an old gospel tune, "What're You Going to Do" -- and offered his rewrite, called "The Twist," to the Spaniels, but they passed on it. It later became a number one hit for Ernest Evans, who recorded it under the name Chubby Checker.
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By 1960, the Spaniels were Hudson, Ernest Warren, Gerald Gregory, Bill Carey, and Andy McGruder (former lead of the Five Blue Notes). They recorded the group's last Vee-Jay single "I Know" in 1960; it reached number 23 R&B that summer. Meanwhile, Vee-Jay Records issued a second full-length album.[allmusic]
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THE IMPRESSIONS with JERRY BUTLER - FOR YOUR PRECIOUS LOVE (VEE-JAY 1963) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 6 bonus

2011-10-03T02:51:00.004+02:00

The quintessential Chicago soul group, the Impressions' place in R&B history would be secure if they'd done nothing but launch the careers of soul legends Jerry Butler and Curtis Mayfield. But far more than that, the Impressions recorded some of the most distinctive vocal-group R&B of the '60s under Mayfield's guidance. Their style was marked by airy, feather-light harmonies and Mayfield's influentially sparse guitar work, plus, at times, understated Latin rhythms. If their sound was sweet and lilting, it remained richly soulful thanks to the group's firm grounding in gospel tradition; they popularized the three-part vocal trade-offs common in gospel but rare in R&B at the time, and recorded their fair share of songs with spiritual themes, both subtle and overt. Furthermore, Mayfield's interest in the civil rights movement led to some of the first socially conscious R&B songs ever recorded, and his messages grew more explicit as the '60s wore on, culminating in the streak of brilliance that was his early-'70s solo work. The Impressions carried on without Mayfield, but only matched their earlier achievements in isolated instances, and finally disbanded in the early '80s.
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The Impressions were formed in Chicago in 1957 as a doo wop group called the Roosters, a group of Chattanooga, TN, transplants that included vocalists Sam Gooden and brothers Richard and Arthur Brooks. Lead singer Jerry Butler joined up and soon brought in his friend Curtis Mayfield as guitarist; the two had previously sung together in a church choir and a couple of local gospel groups as youths. Renamed the Impressions by their manager, the group scored a major hit in 1958 with the classic ballad "For Your Precious Love," which hit the pop Top 20 and the R&B Top Five. Butler's gospel-inflected lead vocal was a departure from the norm, and the fact that the single billed him in front of the rest of the group foreshadowed his quick exit for a solo career, after just one more single ("Come Back My Love"). With new vocalist Fred Cash in tow, Mayfield took over the lead tenor role, eventually becoming the group's chief composer as well. First, though, he hit the road as guitarist and musical director for Butler's backing band, and also co-wrote some of Butler's earliest singles, including the R&B number one "He Will Break Your Heart" in late 1960.[allmusic]
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JAMES BROWN - SUPER BAD (KING 1971) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2011-08-25T01:35:00.005+03:00

Super Bad (the song) originally released as a three-part single & it went to number one on the soul singles chart and number 13 on the Hot 100. The song's lyrics include the refrain "I've got soul and I'm super bad." The positive use of the word "bad" is an example of linguistic reappropriation, which Brown had done before in "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud".
The song includes a tenor saxophone solo by Robert McCollough, during which Brown yells "Blow me some Trane, brother!"
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James Brown re-recorded "Super Bad" for this 1971 album of the same name.
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"SUPER BAD"
Watch me! Watch me! I got it! Watch me!
I got it! Yeeaah!
I got somethin' that makes me wanna shouta!
I got somethin' that tells me what its all about
Huh! I got soul an I'm super bad
I got soul, huh, and I'm super bad, huh!
Now I got a move that tells me what to do
Sometimes I tease
Now I gotta move that tells me what to do
Sometimes I feel so nice I wanna try
Myself with you, huh! uh!
I got soul and I'm super bad, huh!
I'm a lover, I love to do my thing ha
An a, an I don't need no one else
Sometimes I feel so nice, good Lord!
I jump back, I wanna kiss myself!
I've got soul, huh, and I'm super bad, HEY!
I said I'm super bad

Come on, up and down an
Round an round, up and down, all around
Right on people, huh, let it all hang out
If you don't brothers and sisters, then you won't know
Ha! what it's all about, gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme
Gimme, gimme, gimme, YEEAAH! AACCKK!
Uh, come on

I got the somethin' that makes me wanna shout
I got that thing, tell me what it's all about
I got soul, ha, and I'm super bad, heh!
Got the move that tells me what to do
Sometimes I feel so nice, I said
I wanna tie myself to a fuse, huh, I
I, I, I got soul, heh, and I'm super bad

Hit me! up and down and all around
Right on people, heh, let it all hang out
If you don't brothers and sisters, then you won't know
A what it's all about, gimme, gimme, gimme, gimmie
AAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEE!
Uh! come on! come on rap it, come on brother
Do the rap it, how about me some trains brother
Hey! gimme!, huh! gimme! uh! gimme, gimme
Some super bad, a super bad brother, ha! heh!
Super bad uh! come on dance it, come on
Super bad, jab, good Lord! super bad
Mercy, huh! let me hear ya, super bad.......
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JAMES BROWN - IT'S A NEW DAY LET A MAN COME IN (KING 1970) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2011-08-25T01:31:00.005+03:00

Further genius from James Brown at the start of the 70s – a record that's starting to show some of the more open-ended grooves he'd explore with the JBs on their own albums – longer, stretched-out tracks that are way more than simple funk and soul! There's a sense of freewheeling energy here that's totally great – dynamic, powerful calls from James at the top of most tunes – and incredibly sharp work on horns and rhythm from the band – cutting grooves and turning lines like no other combo in the business, all with a great mix of deep soul and hard funk! The album features the 7 minute killer version of "Let a Man Come In & Do The Popcorn", plus "World (parts 1 & 2)", "It's A New Day (parts 1 & 2)", "Give It Up or Turn It Loose", "If I Ruled The World", "The Man In The Glass (part 1)", and "I'm Not Demanding (part 1)". A treasure trove of funk and soul! [Dusty Groove America]
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MUDDY WATERS - SINGS "BIG BILL" (CHESS 1960) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2011-08-16T03:53:00.005+03:00

In 1960, when Muddy Waters recorded this album as a tribute to Big Bill Broonzy two years after Broonzy's death, he could be sure of Broonzy's approval. "Oh yeah, Muddy is a real singer for the Blues," Big Bill, the Mississippi foundation stone, was heard to say early on in Muddy Waters' career. Full of confidence after a Best Of compilation released on the Chess label in 1959 and his legendary appearance at the Newport Folk Festival, Muddy set down his own Broonzy songs. It goes almost without saying that such successful numbers as "I Feel So Good" and "Tell Me Baby" are overflowing with a Chicago feeling that gets right under your skin. Muddy's backing band includes Otis Spann, James Cotton and Willie "Big Eyes" Smith.[acousticsounds.com]
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MUDDY WATERS - THE REAL FOLK BLUES (CHESS 1965) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2011-08-16T03:50:00.003+03:00

It's hard to talk about Muddy Waters without resorting to superlatives. While the songs on Real Folk Blues can be described as standard blues--and over the years, many of them became blues standards--Muddy Waters simply did them the best. Maybe it's that there's never a note out of place, yet Muddy makes it sound easy; or maybe it's that baritone voice. Or maybe it's the magical pairing of Muddy the player and Willie Dixon the songwriter, which produced "Mannish Boy," "Walking Blues," "Same Thing," and more. Whatever it is, it's on this album--blues music so real you can taste it. --Genevieve Williams
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SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON - BUMMER ROAD (CHESS 1969) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 4 bonus

2011-08-16T03:46:00.004+03:00

This album by the Rice Miller fellow who called himself Sonny Boy Williamson -- in other words, the Mississippi harmonica player rather than the Tennessee harmonica player -- may have been one of the best volumes in the grim-looking series of single-album reissues and collections Chess put out before switching to double-album sets. Those who enjoy both blues and the film noir style will enjoy the graphic design of these albums, which often sported singularly unattractive photography of the artists. The grainy, out-of-focus picture of Williamson that fills this front cover is no exception; in fact, in a way, it established the rule. It isn't that he looks mean, he just looks like he could care less. Such a look of indifference has perhaps never before been captured by the camera. It could easily have been taken during some of the discussion that occurs between the artist and his producers during the recording of a song called "Little Village." It was the reissue producer's decision to put an entire 11 minutes of takes, re-takes, and related arguing on the first side of this collection, complete with a severe warning that the proceedings are not suitable for airplay. Blues fans rushed to this track immediately, and were not disappointed in the slice of recording-studio life that is revealed here. Far better than Frank Zappa's secretly recorded band discussions and arguments, this is one of the best examples of enlarging the scope of a musical track by adding auxiliary material that wasn't originally meant for release. Bless T.T. Swan for compiling this series, and giving us this view of the "Little Village," such a profound moment that an all-star rock band eventually named itself after the track. There's lots of other great stuff here as well; really, every track is a burner. Robert Jr. Lockwood is here on lead guitar, playing from the heart in his style of that era, not as jazzy as what would come later but hardly just a bunch of stock blues licks. "Temperature 110" is fantastic, a totally believable sizzler. "Santa Claus Blues" is many listeners' favorite Sonny Boy Williamson track, after which one can never rummage through a room looking for hidden booty without hearing harmonica riffs in the background. Other great tracks include "Open Road" and "This Old Life." Quite a bit of this material was released for the first time in this set, certainly one the blues fans will want to sail off to that desert island with. [allmusic]
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JULIE LONDON - WITH BODY & SOUL (LIBERTY 1967) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2011-07-18T03:33:00.006+03:00

Short Bio
A sultry, smoky-voiced master of understatement, Julie London enjoyed considerable popularity during the cool era of the 1950s. London never had the range of Ella Fitzgerald or Sarah Vaughan, but often used restraint, softness, and subtlety to maximum advantage. An actress as well as a singer, London played with heavyweights like Gregory Peck and Rock Hudson in various films, and was married to Jack Webb of Dragnet fame for seven years before marrying songwriter Bobby Troup ("Route 66"). London performed her biggest hit, "Cry Me a River," in the Jayne Mansfield film The Girl Can't Help It. After recording her last album, Yummy, Yummy, Yummy, in 1969, she continued to act -- playing a nurse on the NBC medical drama Emergency from 1974-1978. Despite her "sex symbol" image -- London was known for her sexy LP covers, which make them collector's items -- she was surprisingly shy, and left show biz altogether in the late '70s. In the mid-'90s London suffered a stroke, which led to a half-decade of poor health and ultimately contributed to her death on October 18, 2000.
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This is one of my favorites!
Just a soft touch of the blues by the talented smoky-voiced Miss London and the magic spreads throughout the album.
Great!!!..Just Great!!
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LES McCANN & EDDIE HARRIS - SWISS MOVEMENT (ATLANTIC 1969) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 1 bonus

2011-07-18T03:03:00.006+03:00

When Les McCann interpolates the melody of "Age of Aquarius" in the introduction to "Compared to What," one sits back and says, "Ah yes, 1969." But he more than pulls it off, leading into a rambunctious and utterly infectious rendition of the classic piece, replete with exhortations of "Sock it to me!" This piece, written by Gene McDaniels, has to be one of the masterpieces of jazz-pop and the album could be recommended for its inclusion alone. Happily, the remainder of this live set, recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland (originally released on Atlantic), follows a similarly joyful and funky path, even if the group never quite scales the same heights. Saxophonist Eddie Harris' "Cold Duck Time" is as down-home as its title, and McCann's wincingly named "The Generation Gap" is as relaxed and cool as a lakeside breeze. Harris brings a needed tinge of free playing to the band, erupting into the occasional impassioned snarl while never neglecting the soulful roots. Trumpeter Benny Bailey also deserves special mention, his every contribution sharp and to the point. Altogether a fine recording, providing a shining example of what could be achieved in the soul-jazz genre without giving in to slickness in the slightest.[allmusic]
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CLARENCE WHEELER & THE ENFORCERS - THE LOVE I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR (ATLANTIC 1971) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2011-07-18T02:56:00.006+03:00

The second fantastic album from Chicago saxophonist Clarence Wheeler and his hard-hitting Enforcers combo – a group who were one of the brightest lights in soul jazz at the start of the 70s, really helping to keep the genre fresh and exciting! The groove here is in the tenor/organ mode first popularized in the 60s – but the overall sound is a lot more expansive, and filled with unusual time changes, complicated rhythms, and inventive solo work that go way beyond more familiar albums of this nature on Prestige or Blue Note! Sonny Burke is the organist in the group, and he's got a touch on the keys that's a lot like Jack McDuff at his best – filled with great sounds and unusual notes that always keep things interesting. Added to that is trumpet from Sonny Covington, guitar from Eric Gale, and tenor from Wheeler – all vamping and grooving in an amazing way! There's a bit of the Charles Earland sound from the same period going on here – and like Earland, the group have a great way of keeping things slightly funky, even when mellow! Titles include a great version of "Broasted or Fried", Charles Earland's "Mighty Burner", Jack McDuff's "The Heebie Jeebie Dance", plus "We've Only Just Begun" and "The Love I've Been Looking For".[Dusty Groove America]
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JUNIOR MANCE - WITH A LOTTA HELP FROM MY FRIENDS (ATLANTIC 1970) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2011-07-18T02:53:00.005+03:00

Short Bio
Junior Mance is well-known for his soulful bluesy style, but he is also expert at playing bop standards. He started playing professionally when he was ten. Mance worked with Gene Ammons in Chicago during 1947-1949, played with Lester Young (1950), and was with the Ammons-Sonny Stitt group until he was drafted. He was the house pianist at Chicago's Bee Hive (1953-1954), worked as Dinah Washington's accompanist (1954-1955), was in the first Cannonball Adderley Quintet (1956-1957), and then spent two years touring with Dizzy Gillespie (1958-1960). After a few months with the Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis/Johnny Griffin group, Mance formed his own trio and has mostly been a leader ever since. He has led sessions for Verve, Jazzland, Riverside, Capitol, Atlantic, Milestone, Polydor, Inner City, JSP, Nilva, Sackville, and Bee Hive, among other labels.
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"Funky breaking piano! Although Junior Mance has made some pretty mellow albums in his time, this is a great record of funky piano tracks – with a nice groove that puts it in a Three Sounds/Young Holt camp! The highlight of the record is the great "Well, I'll Be White Black", which starts with a great breakbeat – but there's a number of other great tracks, like "Thank You Falletin Me Be Mice Elf Again", "Spinning Wheel", and "Home Groovin". Players include Eric Gale, Chuck Rainey, and Billy Cobham – but Junior's piano is the hard, heavy star of the record!" [Dusty Groove America]
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ISLEY BROTHERS - GIVIN' IT BACK (T-NECK 1971) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2011-05-06T00:59:00.006+03:00

Givin' It Back is as much a time capsule as an album. Not that it can't be enjoyed on its own absolute musical terms by someone just off a boat who wasn't even around in 1971, but to really appreciate how daring it was and how delightful it is, that side of its history should be known. Those who are old enough should recall the time whence it came, an era in which hatred and disunity over the Vietnam War, civil rights, school desegregation, the environment, and a multitude of other issues were threatening what seemed, potentially, like the beginning of a new civil war, this one not between states but between factions and ethnic and racial groups in 1,000 individual neighborhoods. The opening cut of Givin' It Back, "Ohio/Machine Gun," is a slap-in-your-face reminder of just how angry the times and the people were. The track evokes instant memories of the campus bloodshed of 1970, not just at Kent State but also the often-forgotten killings a few days later at Jackson State University in Mississippi, where the victims of a fusillade of sheriff's deputies' bullets were black students. More than that, the track itself is also a reminder of the divisions that existed on the left; to listen to pundits on the right, the anti-war and civil rights movements, along with the counterculture, were all part of one vast, organized, calculated left-wing conspiracy. The truth is that there was nearly as big a split, culturally and politically, between young blacks and young whites on the left and on college campuses as there was anywhere else in the population. Blacks reacting to years of oppression had little use for mostly middle-class white college students, however sympathetic many of them purported to be to their situation, while well-meaning white students and activists couldn't begin to know what privation of the kind experienced by blacks and Hispanics in most American towns and cities was. In music, too, there was a lot of division; blacks usually didn't resonate to the top artists in the white world and, in particular, were oblivious to (and even resentful of) the adoration accorded Jimi Hendrix by the white community. So, when the Isley Brothers -- whose appeal among black audiences was unimpeachable -- opened Givin' It Back with a conflation of Neil Young's "Ohio" and Jimi Hendrix's "Machine Gun," they were speaking to anger and bloodshed in the streets, but they were also performing an act of outreach that was about as radical as any they could have committed on record in 1971. That they incorporated a prayer into their reformulation of the two songs, amid Ernie Isley's and Chester Woodard's guitar pyrotechnics, turned it into one of the most powerful and personal musical statements of its era, and it's worth the price of the album just for the one cut. Givin' It Back is filled with virtues of that kind, however; it was the first Isley Brothers album to rely entirely on outside material, but the group's reworkings of songs by James Taylor ("Fire and Rain") and Stephen Stills ("Love the One You're With") show no lack of originality. They're unafraid to take the song apart and rebuild it from the ground up, smoothing Bob Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay" into a sensual soul ballad, turning the James Taylor number into a sweaty, earnest shouter, and transforming War's "Spill the Wine" into an extended workout for voices, electric guitars (several layers deep), flute, and percussion. The album was also an early showcase for Bill Withers, whose funky blues "Cold Bologna" is covered by the group with the composer -- who was about to emerge as a major star in his own right -- on guitar. And the closer, "Love the One You're With," is sent soaring to heights that the Stephen Stills original could only gaze up at. Givin' It Back is often held at arm's length by soul listeners, who don't regard it as central to what the Isley Brothers or their music are about; on the contrary, the group is so successful at remaking all of the songs here their own in style and approach and sending careful messages (alas, largely lost with the passage of time) in their selection as well as their content, that it really represents a lot of what the Isley Brothers and soul music were about in 1971, and it's still great listening. Reissued by Sony with new notes, and worth every cent of its list price.[allmusic]
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ISLEY BROTHERS - THE BROTHERS: ISLEY (T-NECK 1969) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2011-05-06T00:55:00.005+03:00

The late '60s and early '70s remain a favorite period in the Isley Brothers evolution. Ronald sung hard, and brothers O'Kelly and Rudolph supplied church-inspired backing whoops to his lead. The tunes had catchy titles and creative, rhyming lyrics. This recording is loaded with that rocking, "It's Your Thing" style. "The Blacker the Berry the Sweeter Juice" isn't about fruit but speaks of the desirability of dark-complexioned women. "I Turned You On" has a grinding, churning rhythm; "sock it to me" was a catch phrase at the time and the Isleys included the popular phrase prominently in the song. "Feels Like the World" is a slow morbid statement about one's condition, while "Was It Good to You" is fast, fluid, and asks the universal lover's question. A good period for the trio, Ron sung close to his natural register, which will please those who dislike the softer falsetto voice he fell in love with later.[allmusic]
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ISLEY BROTHERS - IT'S OUR THING (T-NECK 1969) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2011-04-20T04:14:00.004+03:00

A very important album for the Isley Brothers, 1969's It's Our Thing found Ronald, O'Kelly and Rudolph Isley reviving their T-Neck label and marked the beginning of their association with Buddah (where they would remain until moving T-Neck to Epic/CBS in 1973). Creatively, this excellent LP put the siblings in the driver's seat -- they did all of the producing and songwriting themselves -- and they enjoyed the type of artistic freedom that they could only dream about when they were with Tamla/Motown from 1965-1968. At Tamla/Motown, Berry Gordy's team of producers and songwriters called the shots, but at T-Neck/Buddah, the Isleys' own vision was allowed to flourish. And that creative freedom made It's Our Thing a commercial triumph as well as an artistic one. The funky title track soared to number two on the R&B charts, and equally invigorating gems like "Give the Women What They Want" and "I Know Who You Been Socking It To" also went down in history as soul classics. Nor are tough, gritty album tracks like "He's Got Your Love" and "I Must Be Losing My Touch" anything to complain about. It's Our Thing made it clear that Tamla/Motown's loss was Buddah's gain.[allmusic]
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RICARDO MARRERO & THE GROUP - A TASTE (first appeared on TSG in 1976 [illegal edition]) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2011-04-14T02:23:00.008+03:00

A taste of Latin funk & soul mastery from Ricardo Marrero – the wholly excellent Taste LP from 1976 – a record as legendary for its rarity as for the slow cookers and uptempo funky gems on it! It's wonderful stuff, and the kind of record that justifiably revered by the few who've had a chance to enjoy it over the years – a record that pushes the stylistic boundaries of 70s NYC salsa with it's impeccable jazzy musicianship, spacey flourishes, sometimes salsa and sometimes soul steeped vocals, and tighter, Latin funk instrumental passages. Marrero's work on the keys is totally top notch, but The Group more than earns its capital letter status, to say the least! Titles include "Tiny", "Algo", "And We'll Make Love", "Vengo", "Get Yourself Together", "Babalonia", "My Friend" and "A Taste Of Latin". CD version includes 2 bonus tracks: alternate versions of "Algo" and "Babalonia".
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The story of this album begins in New York during the mid-’70s. It’s a story of stolen master tapes, shady deals and records deliberately made NOT to be sold. It’s the story of the musical obsession of one man who has devoted his life to music and how he was sold down the river by unscrupulous record industry moguls. It’s also the story of one of the rarest, most in demand and expensive records the world has ever known, with only a handful of copies of this super LP ever being found. Demand for the solid music within has led to a bidding frenzy whenever a copy has surfaced – the latest one on eBay fetched £2855 – that’s an amazing $4000! Records don’t get much more collectable than that, and so we have no hesitation of awarding a coveted ‘Holy Grail’ status to this LP, the third in our acclaimed series. Why so rare? We spoke to Ricardo himself to find out, and his remarkable story is revealed in the CD liners for the first time ever. He speaks about the recording of the album and his disappointment at the stolen tapes, his ill-fated association with boxing legend Don King, and the making of the legendary latin funk anthem ‘Babalonia’, which underwent no less than 4 pressings[jazzman records]
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BRENDA LEE - LET ME SING (DECCA 1963) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2011-04-08T01:41:00.004+03:00

Even ardent consumers of Brenda Lee's prolific album output can be forgiven for feeling as though her '60s albums all began to sound the same. That impression only deepened as the decade wore on, but in 1963 Lee's bottomless fund of pop ballads could still seem fresh.
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Let Me Sing begins predictably enough with a Cole Porter song ("Night and Day") but also includes "Break It to Me Gently" -- one of Lee's greatest '60s hits -- and "Losing You." Bobby Darin's "You're the Reason I'm Living" is the kind of cover material preferable to the traditional pop songs that tended to dominate Lee's ballad albums, but Let Me Sing manages to sound vital where very similar albums failed later in her career. Not surprisingly, Let Me Sing was also Lee's second-to-last Top 40 album.[allmusic]
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CAROL STEVENS - THAT SATIN DOLL (ATLANTIC 1957) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2011-04-08T01:38:00.005+03:00

That Satin Doll pairs Carol Stevens with arranger Phil Moore to create one of the more unique and evocative major-label LPs of its era. Stevens' breathy, often haunting voice largely eschews conventional vocal approaches in favor of ethereal, wordless humming that perfectly complements Moore's exotic settings -- there's something profoundly otherworldly yet curiously sexy about the record, and you just know Captain Kirk kept a copy handy to set the mood while banging green-skinned alien chicks aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise.
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Flautist Herbie Mann, guitarist Barry Galbraith and trumpeter Don Elliott further underscore That Satin Doll's moonlit beauty, contributing wonderfully nuanced performances that lend the music its distinctly jazzy appeal.[allmusic]
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TEDDY PENDERGRASS - LIFE IS A SONG WORTH SINGING (Phil Int 1978) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 2 bonus

2011-04-03T02:18:00.006+03:00

Teddy Pendergrass started singing gospel music in Philadelphia churches, becoming an ordained minister at ten years old. While attending public school, he sang in the citywide McIntyre Elementary School Choir and in the All-City Stetson Junior High School Choir. A self-taught drummer, Pendergrass had a teen pop vocal group when he was 15. By his late teens, Pendergrass was a drummer for local vocal group the Cadillacs.
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In the late '60s, the Cadillacs merged with another more established group, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. In 1970, when the Blue Notes broke up, Melvin, now aware of Pendergrass' vocal prowess, asked him to take the lead singer spot. It's no secret that Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff wanted Marvin Junior of the Dells for their Philadelphia International Records roster. Since the Dells were signed to Chess, they were unavailable. When the gruff'n'ready vocals of Pendergrass came their way, they eagerly signed the group. Beginning with "I Miss You," a steady stream of hit singles flowed from the collaboration of Pendergrass and Gamble & Huff: "If You Don't Know Me by Now," "The Love I Lost," "Bad Luck," "Wake Up Everybody" (number one R&B for two weeks in 1976), and two gold albums, To Be True and Wake Up Everybody.
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Unfortunately, the more success the group had, the more friction developed between Melvin and Pendergrass. Despite the revised billing of the group, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes featuring Theodore Pendergrass, Pendergrass felt that he wasn't getting enough recognition. Around 1976, Pendergrass left Melvin's Blue Notes and formed his own Blue Notes, featuring Teddy Pendergrass. Briefly, there was some confusion as to which Blue Notes were which. The resolution came when Pendergrass disbanded his Blue Notes in favor of a solo career and Melvin's group signed a recording contract with Source Records, distributed through ABC Records, scoring a hit with "I Want to Be Your Lover."
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Pendergrass signed a new contract with Philadelphia International Records in late 1976/early 1977. He burst back on the scene with Teddy Pendergrass, a platinum solo debut that included the top-notch singles "I Don't Love You Anymore," "You Can't Hide from Yourself," and "The More I Get the More I Want." Around this time, Pendergrass began to institute his infamous "Ladies Only" concerts. His next three albums went gold or platinum: Life Is a Song Worth Singing (1978), Teddy (1979), and Teddy Live (Coast to Coast). The hit single "Close the Door" was used in the film Soup for One, where Pendergrass had a small role.[allmusic]
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Note:
This album includes the KILLER funk "Get Up, Get Down, Get Funky,Get Loose". Don't miss it!
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BEN SIDRAN - DON'T LET GO (BLUE THUMB 1974) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2011-04-03T02:15:00.005+03:00

Issued by Blue Thumb in 1974, Don't Let Go was Ben Sidran's third for the label, and his fourth overall. After his 1971 debut on Capitol, Feel Your Groove -- a rootsy, bluesy, and jazzy rock record, populated by everyone from Peter Frampton to Jesse Ed Davis -- Sidran began to indulge his jazz muse, and by 1974 the transformation was complete; he fit right in with Blue Thumb's funky, wide-reaching jazz, funk, fusion, and whatever-else-comes-down-the-pipe-that's-interesting philosophy. After all, this was the label that had issued recordings by Phil Upchurch, Luis Gasca, Mark-Almond, Ike & Tina Turner, the Crusaders, Sun Ra, Dan Hicks, the Last Poets, the Pointer Sisters, Paul Humphrey, Captain Beefheart, and Robbie Basho, among others. The players surrounding Sidran on this session are stellar; some of them had been recording with him since his second album, I Lead a Life. The players here include Upchurch, Clyde Stubblefield, Bunky Green, Sonny Seals (the saxophonist), Tom Piazza, James Curly Cooke, and Randy Fullerton. Musically, the material walks a thin line between funky and straighter jazz and pop with an equal division between vocal and instrumental numbers over its 12 tracks. Sidran was establishing himself as a serious pianist and intricate composer, and as a songwriter with Mose Allison's sophisticated sense of irony. The set opens with the killer, funked up instrumental "Fat Jam" composed by Cooke. One can hear traces of the Bill Cosby television show in Cooke's lyric line, but with its killer shimmering cymbal work, breaks, and the low-slung yet taut bassline, it's something else, too. When Sidran's Rhodes piano kicks into high gear with the Sonny Burke-arranged horns it becomes a smoking intro to a record that, in spite of its wide-ranging ambition, succeeds on virtually every level. Being pushed to this sense of hot groove, Sidran changes up on his cover of the roadhouse standard "House of Blue Lights." It starts with a spoken word hipster rant that abruptly shifts into a fine nearly spoken read of the boogie-woogie crazy original. Sidran's pianism is red hot and rooted in the Albert Ammons stride, and the rhythm section lights it up when he goes into a solo that moves right into bebop. Given how dizzy the proceeding is, this is only the beginning; as it turns out, Don't Let Go contains some of Sidran's most memorable songs, including the darkly cool "Ben Sidran's Midnite Tango," with a fine string arrangement that outdoes Michael Franks at his own game. There is also the slow strutting jazz shuffle "She's Funny That Way" and the proto-uptown soul stepper "Hey Hey Baby." Of the instrumentals, the low-key funky jazz of "The Chicken Glide," and the now infamous "Snatch" are the highlights, but these are all terrific. Don't Let Go only made it onto CD in Japan, but that shouldn't stop you from scoring a legal download from Verve's out-of-print online store or iTunes. This is a killer, adventurous record from a magical time that doesn't sound a bit dated in the 21st century.[allmusic]
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BEN SIDRAN - PUTTIN' IN TIME ON PLANET EARTH (BLUE THUMB 1973) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2011-04-03T02:11:00.004+03:00

Pianist Ben Sidran grew up in Racine, WI. In the early '60s, he played with Steve Miller and Boz Scaggs in a band called the Ardells at the University of Wisconsin. After Miller moved to San Francisco and secured a recording contract, he called on old friend Sidran to join him in the Steve Miller Band following the departure of original keyboardist Jim Peterman. Sidran contributed on the keys and as songwriter on several Miller albums beginning with Brave New World in 1969, co-writing the classic "Space Cowboy" and three other tunes on that LP. He also authored "Steve Miller's Midnight Tango" on Number 5 and collaborated with Miller on several other tunes through the years. He produced his friend's under appreciated release, Recall the Beginning...A Journey From Eden in 1972. Sidran received a Ph.D. in philosophy/musicology, writing his doctoral thesis on African-American culture and music in the United States. The thesis was published to positive critical response in 1971 as Black Talk. Since 1972, he has released a number of solo albums in a cool, easy swinging style similar to Mose Allison. His early albums relied on acoustic instruments and lyrical references to his musical heroes. Later releases used electronic instruments and tasty synthesizers for an interesting sound best presented on albums like 1985's On the Cool Side and Cool Paradise from 1990.[allmusic]
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IL BOOM - SOUNDTRACK (CAM/DURIUM 1963) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2011-01-20T04:23:00.004+02:00

Beautiful soundtrack work from Piero Piccioni – an early score, but filled with the kind of weird, offbeat sounds that have always made him a genius! There's a bit of a link here – between earlier Italian scoring, ala Nino Rota, and some of the later, modder sounds of Piccioni's late 60s generation – a really cool blend that comes through in the way the horns play with the rhythms, and the organ has a strange, almost outer-space sort of quality! One number has a cool batucada feel, and the whole thing's got a brilliant Italian cinematic quality – a true under-discovered gem from the great Piccioni...
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World premiere Cd release of a rare soundtrack of Piero Piccioni!
This soundtrack from CAM may be pressed only around 500 copies at that time.
So, it must be there are many people dreamt of this CD release.
A wonderful scat, beautiful melody, and a great jazzy and big band arranged Samba Della Ruota.[onlyscore]
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BALLADS - THE GIFT OF LOVE (Venture/MGM 1969) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 9 bonus

2011-01-20T04:02:00.005+02:00

Venture label formed in late 1967 by MGM as an outlet for their soul acts. The label was run by former Motown A&R director William "Mickey" Stevenson with help from many other Motown exiles - the company was based in Los Angeles.
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The Ballads - after their Venture output failed to sell MGM dropped them from their roster - the group returned home and continued to issue the occasional single on the local Boola-Boola label where started their career.
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Ballads are:John Palmer, Rico Thompson, Nate Ramerson & Leslie Palmer

Sorry guys I couldn't find more information for this group...the album is a mega rarity & it's quite interesting...
I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did!!!
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BILL WITHERS - JUST AS I AM (SUSSEX 1971) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2011-01-20T02:47:00.004+02:00

Organic, funky, folky, soulful, and an absolute monument of soul music. Much of this material will be familiar to all but the most ignorant listener - "Everybody's Talkin'" has been covered by basically everybody, "Let It Be" is a Beatles cover, and "Ain't No Sunshine" is possibly Withers' most famous original song (competing with "Just The Two Of Us" and "Lovely Day"). Even "Grandma's Hands" was sampled on Blackstreet's "No Diggity". Steven Stills and Booker T Jones support, but Withers makes sure he's truly the star by crafting an album that, at its best, is as intimate and personal as the likes of Pink Moon. "Hope She'll Be Happier" is the understated peak, though it's hard to pick favourites on an album as complete as this. The only slip comes with "Everybody's Talkin'", which is given a funky treatment to bring it in line with the rest of the album. Here, it doesn't work. Elsewhere, however, Withers displays a sound that 40 years later remains all his own. A remarkable album![sputnikmusic]
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DICK JENSEN - DICK JENSEN (Phil. Intl 1973) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2010-12-23T03:02:00.004+02:00

One of the strangest albums ever issued on Philly International – a set of tunes by Dick Jensen, who was part blue-eyed soul singer, part easy male vocalist – sounding here as if he'd almost hit the market about 5 years too late to make a difference. The record's the kind that would be more at home on late 60s Capitol than early 70s Philly – but they must have had big plans for it, as all the tracks are originals by Gamble & Huff, who also do the production with Thom Bell and Bunny Sigler. Bobby Martin, Vince Montana, and Norman Harris all arrange, so the backings are top-shelf too – it's just that Dick can't seem to figure out what he wants to be from track to track on the record. Titles include the funky "Fat Mama", plus "Peace Of Mind", "Going Up To The Mountain", "I Don't Want To Cry", "32nd Street", and "Tamika". [Dusty Groove America]
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A really wonderful (mostly late '60s pop style) album!
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MERRY CLAYTON - GIMME SHELTER (ODE 1970) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2010-12-10T23:52:00.004+02:00

Best known for her background vocal work on the Rolling Stones' legendary single "Gimme Shelter," Merry Clayton had a long and successful career as backup singer, solo artist, and actress. Born December 25, 1948 (hence the rather "holiday" feel of her first name), in New Orleans, LA, Clayton recorded tracks with Elvis Presley, the Supremes, Ray Charles, and Joe Cocker, as well as being a member of Ray Charles' Raelettes in the early '60s. Her solo debut, "The Doorbell Rings," was released in 1963, and she eventually found success as a session singer for the aforementioned artists. She followed up her best-known work -- the appearance on "Gimme Shelter" -- with a solo album of the same name, and during the '70s managed some minor R&B hits with tracks like "After All This Time" in 1971 and "Oh No Not My Baby" in 1973. After a brief hiatus from the music business, Clayton did minor acting work, appearing in the film Maid to Order and Cagney & Lacey. Clayton returned to the music side of things in 1994, albeit as a gospel singer, with the album Miracles. In 1996, Clayton performed with Marianne Faithfull and Darlene Love in the show 20th Century Pop, a performance of "20 rock-era standards."[allmusic]
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YELLOW SUNSHINE - YELLOW SUNSHINE (GAMBLE 1973) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2010-12-10T03:32:00.003+02:00

An excellent bit of spacey funk – and one of the most obscure Gamble/Huff records ever recorded! Yellow Sunshine are a hip funky jazz group, very tight in the riffing department, with a sound that would be more at home on Fantasy Records than Philly International. Dexter Wansel's in the group playing some excellent keyboards, and the tracks are mostly instrumentals with an excellent funky fusion groove – really ripping away with a massive intensity, and storing up a few very tasty breaks – of the sort that's made this album a legend for years with the beatheads! Titles include "All Along The Seashore", "Happiness", "Yellow Sunshine", "The Greetch", and "Apollo 17".[Dusty Groove America]
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PROFESSOR LETT AND STUDY - LOVE SERENADE (BEANTOWN 1978) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2010-09-24T00:28:00.008+02:00

From the rear cover liner notes...
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"Professor Lett And Study is the most fascinating new recording group to emerge in ages, and no connoisseur of music can afford to miss this album".
Mattie Swaine
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"Professor Lett and Study's debut album is loaded with originality, each idea fully realized and perfectly on target".
E.R. Stone
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BO DIDDLEY - ANOTHER DIMENSION (CHESS 1971) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2010-09-24T00:16:00.004+02:00

Funky Bo Diddley – one of Bo's key early 70s sessions for Chess Records – all of which have him stepping out in a much harder groove than years past! The sound here is relatively tight – with Diddley guitar and vocals on top of some larger arrangements from Bob Gallo – backings that mix together sounds from contemporary rock and soul, but always with an ear for the roots that Bo inspired in the first place – put forward towards a new generation with nicely kicking rhythms and really fuzzy guitars! The standout number here is the break classic "Go For Broke" – a drum-heavy instrumental that's worth the price of the record alone – and other titles include the great original "Pollution", plus versions of "The Shape I'm In", "Down On The Corner", "Lodi", "Bad Side Of the Moon", and "Bad Moon Rising".
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SUPREMES - WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO (MOTOWN 1964) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2010-08-30T00:30:00.005+03:00

In the spring of 1964, The Supremes recorded the single "Where Did Our Love Go". The song was originally intended by Holland-Dozier-Holland for The Marvelettes, who rejected it. Although The Supremes disliked the song, the producers coerced them into recording it. In August 1964, while The Supremes toured as part of Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars, "Where Did Our Love Go" reached number one on the US pop charts, much to the surprise and delight of the group. It was also their first song to appear on the UK pop charts, where it reached number three.
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"Where Did Our Love Go" was followed by four consecutive US number-one hits: "Baby Love" (which was also a number-one hit in the UK), "Come See About Me", "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "Back in My Arms Again". "Baby Love" was nominated for the 1965 Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Recording...
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DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES - REFLECTIONS (MOTOWN 1967) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 2 bonus

2010-08-05T01:08:00.005+03:00

Diana Ross & the Supremes "Reflections" was the first regular studio LP to display the new billing of the group formerly known as "The Supremes". It contains the singles "Reflections", "In and Out of Love", and "Forever Came Today." Also included are covers of songs made famous by Martha and the Vandellas ("Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things)") and The 5th Dimension ("Up, Up and Away"). Also present are songs written by other famous names, including "Bah-Bah-Bah" co-written by Motown songstress Brenda Holloway with her younger sister, Patrice, an original Smokey Robinson compostion titled "Then", and "What the World Needs Now Is Love" by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, which Motown planned to release as a single in the spring of 1968, but cancelled. It also contains a cover of Bobbie Gentry's "Ode to Bille Joe", whose original recording kept the single #2 "Reflections" from peaking at the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1967, and #1 on Cashbox.
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The album includes the final songs the Supremes recorded with their main creative team of Holland–Dozier–Holland before the three writers/producers departed Motown over royalty and title disputes. Although Florence Ballard recorded some of this album before being fired from the group in June 1967, her replacement Cindy Birdsong along with Mary Wilson recorded several songs and appears on the album cover. One of the album's singles, "Forever Came Today", was later covered by The Jackson 5 on their 1975 album Moving Violation...
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MAXINE BROWN - OUT OF SIGHT (EPIC 1968) Jap DSD mastering cardboard sleeve + 2 bonus

2010-07-15T01:03:00.005+03:00

Miss Brown Is no newcomer to the hit charts, having been there with Chuck Jackson and alone on another label, but she is a newcomer to EPIC, and this LP marks her debut.
She is never sounded better. Listen to her wail "Sunny" as though it belonged to her from the beginning, and her treatment of Percy Sledge's "When A Man Loves A Woman" is a pure gem.
Hear "In My Entire Life" to Know that Maxine Brown has a hot package on her hands...[Billboard, July 1968]

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THE NEW VIBRATIONS - THE NEW VIBRATIONS (OKeh 1966) Jap DSD mastering cardboard sleeve + 10 bonus

2010-07-06T00:48:00.007+03:00

Killer "Okeh" soul by this great group from the 60s!! The record covers both sides of The Vibrations' bag – from mellow moody vocal group standards, to uptempo groovers – of the sort that have always made the group a favorite with the Northern Soul scene! The album's a nice departure from the group's earlier work, as it shows them really locking in some great harmonies on the mellower cuts – but still able to really let loose when they want to! Titles include great versions of the cuts "Secret Love" and "Everybody Loves A Lover" – plus the tracks "Soul A Go Go", "Gonna Get Along Without You Now", "Forgive & Forget", and "For Your Love". CD features a whopping 10 bonus tracks – including "Cause You're Mine", "Remember The Rain", "Love In Them There Hills", "Talkin Bout Love", "End Up Crying", "Pick Me", and "You Better Beware".
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THE ARTISTICS - GET MY HANDS ON SOME LOVIN' (Okeh 1966) Jap DSD mastering cardboard sleeve

2010-07-03T01:14:00.008+03:00

A Chicago R&B and soul group discovered by Major Lance, the Artistics were formed in 1958 at Marshall High School. They sang at the 1960 Democratic Convention and backed Lance before recording for Okeh in 1963. Original lead vocalist Robert Dobyne joined founding members Aaron Floyd, Curt Thomas, Laurence Johnson, and Jesse Bolian in 1963.
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Their early recordings for Okeh included the singles "Get My Hands on Some Lovin" and "This Heart of Mine" in 1964 and 1965. Former El Dorado Marvin Smith replaced Dobyne in 1964. The Artistics joined Brunswick in 1966, and scored their biggest hit with "I'm Gonna Miss You," which was also the title of their debut album for the label. They had three more moderate hits for Brunswick in the late '60s and early '70s. Smith left in 1967, though he continued singing on studio recordings. Tommy Green and Fred Pettis also served as lead vocalists until the group disbanded in 1973. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide
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MAJOR LANCE - UM UM UM UM/BEST (OKeh 1963) Jap DSD mastering cardboard sleeve + 6 bonus

2010-06-21T23:41:00.007+03:00

Blessed with a warm, sweet voice, Major Lance was one of the leading figures of Chicago soul during the '60s and the top-selling artist for OKeh Records during the decade. Lance not only had a lovely voice, but his material was excellent. During the height of his success, the majority of his songs were written by Curtis Mayfield and produced by Carl Davis, and the pair developed a smooth, Latin-flavored sound that was punctuated by brass and layered with vocal harmonies, usually from the Impressions. It was urban, uptown soul and while it was considerably less gritty than its Southern counterpart, its breezy rhythms and joyous melodies made songs like "The Monkey Time" and "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um" some of the most popular good-time R&B of its era. Major Lance's career declined significantly after he parted ways with Mayfield and Davis in the late '60s, but his classic OKeh recordings remain some of the best-loved soul music of the decade.
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In 1962, Lance was signed to the revived OKeh Records, based on his connections with Otis Leavill and, especially, Curtis Mayfield, who signed with the Impressions to ABC Records and had hits with his own group. Later that year, Lance recorded his first single, "Delilah," for the label. Like most of the Major's material, the song was written by Mayfield who, along with OKeh president Carl Davis and arranger Johnny Pate, developed a distinctive, Latin-tinged sound for the record, filled with sliding trombones and a light-stepping rhythms in order to distinguish Chicago soul from its counterparts in the South, New York, Detroit, and California. Though "Delilah" wasn't a hit, Lance's second single, "The Monkey Time," was a monster. Released in the summer of 1963, "The Monkey Time" reached number two on the R&B charts and number eight pop, establishing not only Lance as a singer but the revitalized OKeh Records as a pop music force. "Hey Little Girl" was a Top 15 pop and R&B hit later that year, followed by the Top Ten "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um" early in 1964.[allmusic]
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LEWIS SISTERS - WAY OUT...FAR (LIBERTY 1959) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2010-06-21T19:26:00.004+03:00

Helen and Kay Lewis', two sisters from Michigan, names cropped up on Motown albums and some single releases in the '60s, such as Gladys Knight & the Pips' "Just Walk in My Shoes." But their careers didn't begin at Motown, rather, in the '50s as jazz singers and songwriters. After high school, Kay attended Michigan State University and earned a degree in music; Helen graduated from UCLA with the same degree.
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In 1955, Kay, whose primary instrument is guitar, moved to California to join her sister Helen who plays piano. They befriended jazz pianist Les McCann in 1958 and he got them a deal with Liberty Records where they recorded a jazz album entitled Way out...Far. McCann played piano on the session and Paul Horn played alto sax. Next came a few sides for Chess/Checker records, including "Come on Let's Stroll," which found its way onto the Checker LP Hits That Jumped in 1959. A year later they cut what Kay describes as a weird album for Verve Records. The Russ Garcia produced Voices, Strings and Percussions was quite odd, Garcia used the sisters' voices like violins on the 1960 album of Tchaikovsky songs.
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They met Hal Davis in California and through Davis' partner Marc Gordon, got them inked to Motown in 1963 as recording artists, but their only releases as artists came two years later on the company's VIP subsidiary. "He's an Oddball" b/w "By Some Chance" and "You Need Me" b/w "Moonlight on the Beach" were good records, different from their early jazz and voice albums, more mainstream. 11 days before the release on their final single, Kay's daughter Little Lisa emerged on VIP as well with "Hang on Bill" b/w "Puppet on a String" (August 20, 1965). The dynamic sisters appeared with Chris Clark on Clark's November, 1965, single "Do Right Baby, Do Right." Nothing hit with much authority and no more recordings were issued. Helen and Kay's songs were being snapped up mostly as album cuts by other artists including the Miracles' "Baby, Baby" and Edwin Starr and Blinky's LP Just We Two which featured "Can't We Be Strangers Again" and "I See a Rainbow."...[All Music Guide]
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LEE WILEY - NIGHT IN MANHATTAN (COLUMBIA 1951) Jap mastering

2010-06-21T18:00:00.004+03:00

"Lee Wiley was one of the greatest and most neglected American vocalists. Wiley began in the early '30s as a torch singer and was a formative influence on the young Billie Holiday. Wiley also pioneered the concept of the "composer's songbook" with her 1939 Cole Porter and Gershwin sets for the specialized Liberty Music Shop label. Still, it wasn't until the early '50s that Wiley recorded again in a commercial setting worthy of her stature.
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Several disparate Columbia sessions make up NIGHT IN MANHATTAN. One session features a small string section, another the great trumpeter Bobby Hackett, and another the piano team of Stan Freeman and Cy Walter. Still, the eventual LP was held together by Wiley's stylistically consistent and utterly honest delivery, an approach to song (and life) both wistful and sophisticated at once. "I've Got a Crush on You" rivals Sinatra's celebrated 1945 version (again with Hackett providing the trumpet obligato), but it is the moving, emotionally stripped-down versions of "How Deep is the Ocean," "Time on my Hand" and "More Than you Know" that provide the key to her art."(Joe Sarno, Muze)
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AFRIQUE - SOUL MAKOSSA (MAINSTREAM 1973) Jap mastering

2010-05-27T00:32:00.003+03:00

A killer album of Afro Funk -- with a very unusual origin! In the wake of Manu Dibango's big hit (and some kind of failure to register the copyright), many many versions of "Soul Makossa" were recorded and released, some good, some bad. This album is a good example of that situation -- kind of a quickie project issued by Mainstream Records to cash in on the hit -- but it's also an amazing bit of lost funk, and a record that's lasted for years in the hearts of beatheads! The group's a studio combo headed by Richard Fritz -- and includes funky drummer Paul Humphrey, organist Charles Kynard, and guitarist David T Walker -- all players we can trust to keep things groovy. The record does include a version of "Soul Makossa" that's pretty great -- but even better is the breakbeat classic "House Of The Rising Funk", apparently the same version of the track that was issued on a 45 under the name The Chubukos. Other nice ones include "Kissing My Love", "Hot Mud", "Get It", "Hot Doggin", and "Let Me Do My Thing".
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SUGAR BILLY - SUPER DUPER LOVE (FAST TRACK/MAINSTREAM 1975) Jap mastering cardboard sleve + 1 bonus

2010-05-17T03:44:00.005+03:00

A classic indie cooker from Sugar Billy -- a bit funky, a bit clubby -- and a really great batch of grooves done in a pre-disco mode! The tracks are all pretty darn upbeat -- somewhat warmer than the funk of Fatback or Kool & The Gang, but still with a nicely rough-edged feel overall -- one that mixes snapping rhythms with Billy's slightly raspy vocals -- all in a groove that's somewhat unique, and which is almost a hybrid of southern soul modes and some of the indie styles bubbling out of the New York scene in the early 70s. Arrangements are by Jimmy Roach, who definitely helps the group groove -- and a young Marcus Belgrave is actually in the group on Trumpet! Titles include the classic "Super Duper Love (parts 1 & 2)", plus "Treat Me Like You Don't Know Me", "Love Bug", "Sugar Pie", "Too Much Too Soon", and "Believe In Me". CD also features a great bonus track -- the single-only "Freak & You Shall Find", presented in the long version!
.......A GREAT FUNK ALBUM!!! DON"T MISS IT.
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MARVIN GAYE - MOODS OF MARVIN GAYE (TAMLA 1966) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 3 bonus

2010-04-16T02:09:00.004+03:00

After Marvin Gaye recorded tributes to Broadway and Nat King Cole in the previous two years, Motown fans may have had their suspicions raised by an LP titled Moods of Marvin Gaye. Yes, there are a few supper-club standards to be found here, but Gaye moves smoothly between good-time soul and adult pop. Most important are his first two R&B number ones, "I'll Be Doggone" and "Ain't That Particular," both from 1965 and both produced by Smokey Robinson. Berry Gordy's right-hand man also helmed "Take This Heart of Mine" and "One More Heartache," another pair of big R&B scores, and just as good as the better-known hits. As for the copyrights not owned by Jobete, the chestnut "One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)" certainly didn't need another reading, but Gaye's take on Willie Nelson's after-hours classic "Night Life" was inspired. Marvin Gaye was improving with every record, gaining in character and strength of performance, and Moods of Marvin Gaye is a radically better record than its predecessors. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
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MARVIN GAYE - HOW SWEET IT IS TO BE LOVED BY YOU (TAMLA 1964) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 3 bonus

2010-04-16T02:04:00.006+03:00

Another great album; Gaye was at this time Motown's finest solo vocalist (Smokey Robinson, Eddie Kendricks, David Ruffin, and Levi Stubbs were all heading groups). His vocal on the title track was both smooth and churning, celebratory and introspective. He could do no wrong during this period, regardless of content, tempo, or arrangement. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide
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The title track,was his best-selling single at the time. Other hits include "Try It Baby" (which features David Ruffin of The Temptations) and "Baby Don't You Do It" (with backing vocals provided by The Andantes).
Also the song "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" is featured in the first American Pie movie, and has been covered by many notable musicians, including James Taylor, Joan Osborne, Michael McDonald and Michael Buble.
The song "You Are a Wonderful One" is featured in the film Bowfinger.
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MARVIN GAYE - THAT STUBBORN KINDA FELLA (TAMLA 1962) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2010-03-30T02:44:00.004+03:00

Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and instrumentalist with a three-octave vocal range. Starting as a member of the doo-wop group The Moonglows in the late fifties, he ventured into a solo career after the group disbanded in 1960 signing with the Tamla subsidiary of Motown Records. After starting off as a session drummer, Gaye ranked as the label's top-selling solo artist during the sixties.
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"That Stubborn Kinda Fellow" released on the Tamla label in 1962. The LP yielded several hit singles including "Stubborn Kind of Fellow", "Hitch Hike" and "Pride and Joy" and helped to establish Marvin as a rising star on the R&B music scene.
An unreleased single, "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)", became a popular standard and was later covered by British singer Paul Young and his version became a hit in the UK in 1982...
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MARVIN GAYE - RECORDED LIVE ON STAGE (TAMLA 1963) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2010-03-30T02:40:00.005+03:00

Marvin Gaye's "Recorded Live on Stage" was the first glimpse of a live Marvin Gaye show. Released as an album on September 9, 1963, it firmly stamped Gaye's place as Motown's leading male hitmaker with only Mary Wells outselling him. And though he would often complain of stage fright, when Gaye sang, it seemed like all the fear went away as he took control of the audience especially during the hit numbers. Gaye wouldn't record another live album until 1974 when he was making his comeback on stage after nearly a three-year exile following the death of his beloved duet partner, Tammi Terrell. This album was released in 2009 only in japan...
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While the selections and overall production are spotty, there's nothing erratic or uneven about Gaye's vocals. This was his third Motown album and first live date, and he sounded refreshed, energetic, and triumphant. This came close to equaling his late '70s live set done in London and is among the best '60s live albums that Motown released.[allmusic]
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COASTERS - COAST ALONG WITH THE COASTERS (ATCO 1962) Remastered + 12 bonus

2010-03-24T01:51:00.009+02:00

With the songwriting and production team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller behind them, the Coasters were easily one of the most interesting vocal groups of the late '50s and early '60s, and their singles always featured inventive arrangements and great sound, managing to deliver gritty R&B while simultaneously wooing a mainstream audience and climbing the pop charts. Coast Along with the Coasters collects the group's Atco singles from 1959, 1960, and 1961, and was originally released on LP in 1962. Most of the songs are Leiber & Stoller compositions, naturally, but the group also covers material written by Bobby Darin ("Wait a Minute"), Doc Pomus ("The Snake & the Bookworm"), and Willie Dixon ("My Babe") in this set, and the continually fresh-sounding vocal and instrumental arrangements give the album a more cohesive, thought-out feel than most LPs released at the time. Among the highlights are the shuffle rock of the opener, "(Ain't That) Just Like Me," the social statement of "What About Us" (which contrasts the haves with the have-nots), and the truly bizarre "Run Red Run," which tells the story of a beer-drinking, card-playing monkey who tries to shoot his keeper for cheating at poker. Gotta love these guys. ~ Steve Leggett
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The bonus tracks on this CD mop up the remainder of tracks (1961-62) up to their penultimate Atco session on 8 September 1965. ~ Georgie H. Here

WALTER WANDERLEY - BATUCADA (VERVE 1967) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2010-03-21T18:12:00.006+02:00

Fortunately, Walter Wanderley sticks mostly to Brazilian standards on Batucada, and though his lounge-organ sound occasionally veers close to the edge where cool jazz becomes easy listening, the album is well-recorded. His organ is occasionally more reminiscent of a hockey rink accompanist than a jazz improviser, but he slips and slides around on the keys and employs an endearing and quintessentially Brazilian less-is-more approach. Brazilian mastermind Marcos Valle guests on guitar, and percussion is well-handled by Paulinho, Dom Um Romao, and Lu Lu Ferreira. Talya Ferro's vocals on "Wave" are solidly in a jazz vein, though rather transparently postured to captivate an American crossover audience. Obviously, an album like Batucada isn't a prime example of Brazilian pop, but fans of Wanderley's work on Astrud Gilberto's A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness will enjoy this as background music.[allmusic]
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ASTRUD GILBERTO/WALTER WANDERLEY - A CERTAIN SMILE... (VERVE 1966) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2010-03-21T18:07:00.006+02:00

When Astrud Gilberto (wife to the great singer and guitarist Joao Gilberto) sang the now-classic "The Girl from Ipanema" in 1964, she'd had no formal vocal training. It mattered little, as her laid-back sensuality overflowed through the song and propelled her on to several more musical projects. This 1966 collection with the small combo of organist Walt Wanderley, guitarist Joao Gilberto, bassist Jose Marino, and Claudio Slon on drums features Gilberto's reposed voice in such a seductive, warm light, one thinks they've died and gone to drink martinis in a Rio lounge. The album includes a mix of classic bossa nova tunes ("So Nice" and "Call Me") sung in both English and Portuguese. Astrud was as cool as a cucumber and her untrained, nonchalant grace gave her singing its unique charisma. It wasn't until the late 1980s that the world heard this sort of passive, detached persona again in the bewitching vocals of Cesaria Evora, proving once again that style and delivery are just as important as distinct vocal tone. Astrud Gilberto taught us great singers aren't made on a voice alone. --Karen K. Hugg
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ANN PEEBLES - STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART (HI 1972) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2010-03-08T00:29:00.003+02:00

One of the greatest soul records of the 70’s by a woman.
A diminutive singer with a powerful voice and an even stronger attitude, Ann Peebles was one of the artists who defined Willie Mitchell’s legendary Memphis soul label Hi Records, along with Al Green and, later, O.V. Wright. Easily the best female singer in the Hi stable, Peebles ranked among the finest deep Southern soul singers of the decade.
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"A lean, tough set that was not only a triumph for Peebles, but illustrated how the Hi label had surpassed its crosstown Stax rival for quality Memphis soul in the early '70s. The guitars are spare, funky, and bluesy, the horn section punchy, and the material far earthier and down-home than the increasingly formulaic grooves at Stax. There were three modest R&B hits on the album ("Slipped, Tripped and Fell in Love," "I Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody's Home," "Somebody's on Your Case"), much of which was penned by Peebles or her husband Don Bryant. Peebles' vocals were convincingly biting, and she never, unlike many other singers of the era, tried too hard for her own good. The main flaw of the record is its length (26 minutes), which was short even by early-'70s standards." [All Music]
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STYLISTICS - STYLISTICS (H&L 1971) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2010-03-08T00:25:00.006+02:00

The debut album of the Stylistics is an outstanding example of the classic R&B music of the early 70's. There are 5 essential songs by the group on this album - "Stop, Look, Listen (to Your Heart), "Betcha By Golly Wow (full length version), "You're a Big Girl Now", "You Are Everything", and the simply amazing full length version of "People Make the World Go Round". Even the filler is very good, "Country Living" and "Ebony Eyes" are upbeat cuts that are similar to "Rockin' Roll Baby". "Point of No Return" is a midtempo song that will keep feet tapping and "If I Love You" is a solid love song that might have been a hit in its own right had it not been on an album with so many other great songs. "The Stylistics" is essential listening ("Round 2" is also a 5 star record) and is absolute proof of Thom Bell's genius.
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The Stylistics saw their first song, 1971's "You're a Big Girl Now", reach success on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart peaking at #7, whilst it peaked at #79 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, their second release, "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)", peaked at #39 (U.S. Pop) and #6 (U.S. R&B). The song was sung by the Stylistics' falsetto frontman, Russell Thompkins, Jr., and was produced by Thom Bell.
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LITTLE JOHNNY TAYLOR - OPEN HOUSE IN MY HOUSE (RONN 1973) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 4 bonus

2010-02-16T18:42:00.007+02:00

Some folks still get them mixed up, so to get it straight from the outset, Little Johnny Taylor was best known for his scorching slow blues smashes "Part Time Love" (for Bay Area-based Galaxy Records in 1963) and 1971's "Everybody Knows About My Good Thing" for Ronn Records in Shreveport, LA. This Johnny Taylor was definitely not the suave Sam Cooke protege who blitzed the charts with "Who's Making Love" for Stax in 1968; that's Johnnie Taylor, who added to the confusion by covering "Part Time Love" for Stax. Another similarity between the two Taylors: both hailed from strong gospel backgrounds.
Little Johnny came to Los Angeles in 1950 and did a stint with the Mighty Clouds of Joy before going secular. Influenced by Little Willie John, he debuted as an R&B artist with a pair of 45s for Hunter Hancock's Swingin' logo, but his career didn't soar until he inked a pact with Fantasy's Galaxy subsidiary in 1963 (where he benefited from crisp production by Cliff Goldsmith and Ray Shanklin's arrangements).
The gliding mid-tempo blues "You'll Need Another Favor," firmly in a Bobby Bland mode, was Taylor's first chart item. He followed it up with the tortured R&B chart-topper "Part Time Love," which found him testifying in gospel-fired style over Arthur Wright's biting guitar and a grinding, horn-leavened downbeat groove. The singer also did fairly well with "Since I Found a New Love" in 1964 and "Zig Zag Lightning" in 1966.
Taylor's tenure at Stan Lewis' Ronn imprint elicited the slow blues smash "Everybody Knows About My Good Thing" in 1971, and a similarly witty hit follow-up, "Open House at My House," the next year (both were covered later by Z.Z. Hill for Malaco). While at Ronn, Little Johnny cut some duets with yet another Taylor, this one named Ted (no, they weren't related either). Though he recorded only sparingly during the 1980s and 1990s, he remained an active performer until his death in 2002. ~ Bill Dahl, All Music Guide
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LITTLE JOHNNY TAYLOR - EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT MY GOOD THING (RONN 1970) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 4 bonus

2010-02-16T18:38:00.007+02:00

Little Johnny Taylor (born Johnny Lamont Merrett, 11 February 1943, Gregory, Arkansas – 17 May 2002) was an American blues and soul singer who made recordings throughout the 1960s and 1970s, and continued public performances through the 1980s and 1990s.
He is frequently confused with his contemporary and near namesake Johnnie Taylor, especially since the latter made a cover version of the song that Little Johnny Taylor was most famous for, "Part Time Love" (1963), and the fact that both men began their careers as gospel singers.
Little Johnny moved to Los Angeles in 1950, and sang with the Mighty Clouds of Joy before moving into secular music. Influenced by Little Willie John, he first recorded as an R&B artist for the Swingin' label.
However, he did not achieve major success until signing for San Francisco-based Fantasy Records' subsidiary label, Galaxy. His first hit was the mid-tempo blues "You'll Need Another Favor," sung in the style of Bobby Bland, with arrangement by Ray Shanklin and produced by Cliff Goldsmith. The follow-up, "Part Time Love", became his biggest hit, reaching # 1 in the R&B chart, and # 19 on the pop chart, in October 1963. The record's success owed much to Taylor's gospel-style singing, Arthur Wright's guitar and a horn-leavened downbeat groove. However, follow-ups on the Galaxy label were much less successful.
By 1971, Taylor had moved to the Ronn label subsidiary of Jewel Records in Shreveport, Louisiana, where he had his second R&B top ten hit with "Everybody Knows About My Good Thing" . The following year, he had another hit with "Open House at My House". While at Ronn, Little Johnny also recorded some duets with Ted Taylor (also unrelated).
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TED TAYLOR - TAYLOR MADE (RONN 1971) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 4 bonus

2010-01-24T03:13:00.005+02:00

A SHORT BIO...
Soul-blues singer Ted Taylor unleashed his stratospheric, falsetto-driven voice on a wide variety of material during the 1950s, '60s, and '70s, his gospel heritage never far from the surface. Taylor first entered the studio as a member of the Cadets and Jacks, a Los Angeles R&B vocal group with two names that recorded for Modern. By the late '50s, Taylor was signed to Ebb, and a myriad of other imprints soon followed (notably Duke, where he waxed his first version of the sugary ballad "Be Ever Wonderful"), Okeh (his sides for the Columbia subsidiary were done in Chicago and Nashville), and Ronn, where he spent nearly a decade. A car wreck claimed his life in 1987.
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"A REALLY GREAT ALBUM! DON'T MISS IT!"
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JON HENDRICKS - SALUD! JOAO GILBERTO (REPRISE 1963) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2010-01-07T04:09:00.004+02:00

Jon Hendricks idolizes Joao Gilberto (he has spoken fondly of their first meeting where they scatted to each other before ever speaking a word), and he wasted little time putting together a tribute album at the height of the first bossa nova wave. It ought to come as no surprise that he would display total sympathy with the bossa nova manner here, singing softly and smoothly -- and Hendricks' English wordplay is quite faithful to the original tunes and meanings of the Portuguese lyrics, in contrast to his usual whimsical work with jazz improvisations. Hendricks is particularly winning, and irresistibly swinging on the rare occasions ("Voce E Eu," "Samba Da Minha Terra") when he scats to the Brazilian rhythm; he should have done more of that here. But then, his versions of Gilberto's repertoire are carefully based on Gilberto's early EMI/Odeon recordings (now available on The Legendary Joao Gilberto); even Antonio Carlos Jobim's string and wind charts for the originals are preserved by adapter Johnny Mandel. Alas, the only Hendricks lyric that has become a universal standard is Jobim's "Chega de Saudade" ("No More Blues"). As Hendricks' only album-length encounter with bossa nova, Salud! Joao Gilberto Originator of the Bossa Nova is essential.[allmusic]
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LONNIE SMITH - MOVE YOUR HAND (BLUE NOTE 1969) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2010-01-07T03:40:00.005+02:00

"REPOST"
Anyone that has listened to Lonnie Smith should know that Dr. Smith is at his best when performing the slow and grinding ilk of funk. While his album "Live at Club Mozambique" is a great and funky disc, it tends towards the faster and more energized groves; it only gives us a taste of the grinding slow stuff. This album, however, gives us a lot more of the slow grinders that Dr. Smith is rightly known for.
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Just as Lou Donaldson's albums broke loose of many blues cliches a few years before, introducing a new funky boogaloo rhythm into Jazz, Lonnie breaks free of the boogaloo funk cliche's of the '60s and absorbs the funk of JB and then contemporary black radio. In fact, this is probably the least dated B3 CD of that era. He even does a bit of singing visa vis the enormously funky "Move Your Hand" which could of just as easily been taken up by George Clinton and P-Funk.
Cool, Funky and Groovin', this album along with Jimmy Smith's ROOT DOWN and Lou Donaldson's Midnight Creeper are definitely top picks for the true Hammond B-3 funkateer.
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Lonnie has that essential groove that remains through the whole album. Right from the first track you realise you are on one of Blue notes very special albums. "Charlie Brown" sets the scene while "Layin in the Cut" builds up the pace to an awe inspiring state on one of the greatest groove organ tracks I have ever heard. On the Title track "Move Your Hand" Lonnie matches his organ brilliance with unique heart felt vocals. On "Sunshine Superman" Lonnie continues the saga. The man is backed by awesome performances on guitar by Larry Mcgee and Rudy Jones on Tenor Saxaphone as well as many other musicians also giving excellent performances. This is an album that always remains by the stereo, mainly in it. You will always return to it. This is the exact music you would want to listen to in your favourite bar with dim lights a groovy armosphere and your favourite drink in your hand...[net]

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DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES - LET THE SUNSHINE IN (MOTOWN 1969) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-12-27T21:01:00.003+02:00

After Ballard's exit, the group was billed as Diana Ross & the Supremes, fueling speculation that Ross was being groomed for a solo career. The Supremes had a big year in 1967, even incorporating some mild psychedelic influences into "Reflections." Holland-Dozier-Holland, however, left Motown around this time, and the quality of the Supremes' records suffered accordingly (as did the Motown organization as a whole). The Supremes were still superstars, but as a unit, they were disintegrating; it's been reported that Wilson and Birdsong didn't even sing on their final hits, a couple of which ("Love Child" and "Someday We'll Be Together") were among their best.
In November 1969, Ross' imminent departure for a solo career was announced, although she played a few more dates with them, the last in Las Vegas in January 1970. Jean Terrell replaced Ross, and the group continued through 1977, with some more personnel changes (although Mary Wilson was always involved).
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"The three singles are so good, they alone justify buying this album: the Clan's tale of filial impiety "I'm Livin' In Shame"; Smokey's gorgeous "The Composer" and Berry Gordy's pop/funk "No Matter What Sign You Are" with groovy electric sitar. It's a lucky thing, because there's no depth here - there are a zillion covers, either servicable but pedestrian (Jimmy Ruffin's "What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted," Jerry Butler's "Hey Western Union Man" cowritten by Gamble and Huff, Bacharach/David's "Let The Music Play"), or painful attempts to be up to date (title track, Sly Stone's "Everyday People" including fuzz guitar). According to Mary Wilson, she and Birdsong were barely participating in the studio by this point; Ross meanwhile was indulging her taste for Vegas kitsch ("Discover Me (And You'll Discover Love)".(DBW)
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SUPREMES - MORE HITS BY THE SUPREMES (MOTOWN 1965) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-12-27T20:04:00.004+02:00

Its title might lead one to think this was a compilation, but it wasn't — rather, More Hits by the Supremes is merely a valid presumption of its worth. It was also the original group's third highest charting album of their five years on Motown, and came not a moment too soon. The Supremes were doing incredibly well as a singles act, but not since Where Did Our Love Go had any of their LPs done particularly well on the pop charts; even a well-intentioned Sam Cooke-tribute album recorded early in 1965, which ought to have done better, had only reached number 75 (though it had gotten to number five on the R&B LP charts). "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "Back in My Arms Again" helped drive the sales, but those singles had been out six and three months earlier at the time this album surfaced — listeners were delighted to find those singles surrounded by their ethereal rendition of the ballad "Whisper You Love Me Boy" with its exquisitely harmonized middle chorus; the gently soulful, sing-song-y "The Only Time I'm Happy"; and the sweetly dramatic "He Holds His Own" (with a gorgeous and very prominent piano accompaniment). The material dated across six months of work, from late 1964 through the spring of 1965 (apart from "Ask Any Girl," the B-side of "Baby Love," which was cut in the spring of 1964), and showed that Motown could put a Supremes album together piecemeal around the Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting team and place the trio right up at the top reaches of the charts, in the company of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, et al. Its release also opened a floodgate of killer albums by the trio — overlooking their 1965 LP of Christmas songs, they were destined to issue three more long-players that delighted audiences a dozen songs at a time over the next two years, which was a lot of good work.
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SUPREMES - I HEAR A SYMPHONY (MOTOWN 1966) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-12-14T00:30:00.003+02:00

The Supremes enjoyed a successful run of hits in 1964 - 1965, and their producers Holland–Dozier–Holland did their best to keep turning the hits out. In mid-1965, the producers came to realize they had fallen into a rut when the Supremes' "Nothing But Heartaches" failed to make it to the Top Ten, missing it by just one position and breaking the string of number-one Supremes hits initiated with "Where Did Our Love Go." Motown chief Berry Gordy was displeased with the performance of "Nothing But Heartaches," and circulated a memo around the Motown offices that read as follows:
"We will release nothing less than Top Ten product on any artist; and because the Supremes' world-wide acceptance is greater than the other artists, on them we will only release number-one records."
Holland-Dozier-Holland therefore set about breaking their formula and trying something new. The result was "I Hear a Symphony," a song with a more complex musical structure than previous Supremes releases. "Symphony" was released as a single in place of another Holland-Dozier-Holland Supremes song, "Mother Dear", which had been recorded in the same style as their earlier hits.
"I Hear a Symphony", later issued on an album of the same name, became the Supremes' sixth number-one hit in the United States. After the number-five hit "My World Is Empty Without You" and the number-nine hit "Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart," the Supremes began a run of four more number-one hits: "You Can't Hurry Love," "You Keep Me Hangin' On," "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone," and "The Happening." The group performed the hit song on The Mike Douglas Show on November 3, 1965.
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"I Hear a Symphony" was the number-one song on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for two weeks from November 14, 1965, to November 27, 1965, becoming the group's sixth number-one single. In the UK, "I Hear a Symphony" made it to number fifty, and then dropped off the chart for two weeks before re-entering at number thirty-nine...
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SERGIO MENDES - THE SWINGER FROM RIO (ATLANTIC 1964) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-12-04T01:04:00.007+02:00

ORIGINAL LINER NOTES...
"We have become more familiar with the music of Latin America and especially that
of Brazil in the past year. The new music from Brazil (better known as bossa nova)
has been absorbed into the mainstream of our own music. This is completely natural.
While we have been listening to their music, Latin American musicians have been
listening to ours. Jazz music in particular has been fascinating to them for quite some time, and it would be accurate to describe bossa nova as a marriage of modern
Brazilian music and American jazz. The music contained in this album is the happy
result of a meeting of Brazilian bossa nova stars and American jazz musicians.
Sergio Mendes, the young man who graces the cover of this LP is one of the
brightest talents to emerge from Brazilian music circles. He possesses a crisp piano
style that clearly dominates all of the performances in this album. The clarity of
Sergio's musical thought is always apparent whether he is soloing, playing ensemble
or accompanying someone else's solo. In addition he inspires some of the finest work
on records by the well known jazz performers, Art Farmer, Phil Woods and Hubert
Laws. Sergio is accustomed to playing with a country's leading musicians. He became a
professional pianist at the age of sixteen. One year later he organized his own group
to perform at parties and in night clubs in and around his hometown of Niteroi which is across the bay from the more celebrated Brazilian town of Ipanema. The composer
and musician, Antonio Carlos Jobim, heard Sergio play and was very impressed. He
gave him a great nea'fof encouragement, arid before long Sergio joined the circle of
musicians in Rio who were creating a new musical style that came to be known as
bossa nova. It is impossible to conceive of greater musical understanding than that which is shown by Sergio, fluegelhornist Art Farmer, saxophonist Phil Woods and flutist Hubert Laws in this album. Listening to the way their solos dovetail one could easily assume these musicians have worked together for many years. Sergio has the remarkable facility ofmatching the tonal quality of his instrument to that of the musician with whom he is playing. Notice for instance that when he and Art Farmer exchange phrases at the end of Useless Panorama, the sound of their instruments maintain an even flow. On So Danco Samba and Maria Moita there is a little more bite to Sergio's piano work to match the drive of Phil Woods' robust saxophone style. Though these musicians may have been born thousands of miles apart, they are truly kindred spirits.
Sergio's good friend and the man he calls his mentor. Antonio Carlos Jobim, is on hand for many of the numbers. Better known as the composer of the classic bossa nova
tunes (Desafinado, One Note Samba, etc.), Jobim is also an accomplished guitarist.
Hear how he introduced his composition, Useless Panorama by softly phrasing the
melody. The musicians who make up the rhythm section are members of Sergio's own
trio, Tiao Netto on bass and drummer Chico DeSouza. They keep the front line swinging
in all tempos.
Geographically Sergio Mendes may be The Swinger From Rio—on the basis of his
playing in this album he could also be The Swinger From The USA."
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STEVIE WONDER - TALKING BOOK (TAMLA 1972) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-11-21T03:14:00.006+02:00

Talking Book is the fifteenth album by Stevie Wonder, released on October 27, 1972. It was the second of five consecutive albums referred to as his "classic period", along with Music of My Mind, Innervisions, Fulfillingness' First Finale, and Songs in the Key of Life.
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Released after Wonder toured with the Rolling Stones in 1972, Talking Book became an immediate hit. The popular appeal of the recording helped destroy the myth that R&B artists were incapable of creating music that could be appreciated by rock audiences, and marked a unique period for R&B artists (especially Motown artists). The cover depicts Wonder with corn rows, Indian jewelry and a velvet afghan.
Sandwiched between the release of Music of My Mind and Innervisions, Talking Book saw Wonder enjoying more artistic freedom from Motown. Guest appearances include Jeff Beck, Ray Parker, Jr., David Sanborn, and Buzzy Feton (Howard "Buzz" Feiten). The sound of the album is sharply defined by Wonder's keyboard work, especially with the synthesizers he incorporated, giving a funky edge to tracks like "Maybe Your Baby". His use of the Hohner clavinet model C on "Superstition" is widely regarded as one of the definitive tracks featuring the instrument.His swinging clavinet and harmonica embellishments on "Big Brother", though, defy categorization.
Wonder won three awards for Talking Book at the 1974 Grammys: Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "You Are the Sunshine of My Life", and both Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song for "Superstition".
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MESSENGERS INC - SOULFUL PROCLAMATION (SMI 1970) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-11-12T02:25:00.003+02:00

Ultra-hip funk from Oklahoma's Messengers Incorporated -- a group who come across with a sound that's every bit as righteous and heavy as you might guess from the cover! Instrumentation is heavy on bass, guitar, and organ -- and topped with some great saxophone work too -- all in a sound that's draws plenty of inspiration from righteous jazz of the early 70s, but which focuses the sound into a more funk-based approach overall. Vocalists shift throughout -- and include singers Barbara and Charles Burton, later of Burton Inc -- who help give the record as much of a soul-based punch alongside the jazzy instrumentation of the combo! The whole thing's a real heavy hitter -- the kind of album that could have soared large, had it gotten wider release back in the day -- and titles include "Rejoice", "Just Can't Run Away", "Soulful Proclamation", "Frequency Response", "Ain't No Mountain", "Twenty Four Hours A Day", and "If I'Da Club".[Dusty Groove America]
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BO DIDDLEY - WHERE IT ALL BEGAN (CHESS 1972) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-10-27T02:07:00.005+02:00

Nasty nasty funk from the great Bo Diddley -- one of his rare funky 70s classics for Chess -- produced by Johnny Otis with a really tripped-out groove! The album's got an edge that seems to go even farther than some of Bo's other Chess work at the time -- and picks up the full-on Otis funky mode by leaning hard on the drums, pulling up the bass, and bringing in a trio of female lovelies to back up Bo on vocals! Gloria Scott's one of the vocalists on the album, and Shuggie Otis even joins in on the funky party with some sweet guitar! But even with all this help, Bo's still the star of the story -- and his massive chugging approach to guitar is moving full steam ahead on the set -- really ripping a groove through a great batch of original tracks that include "Take It All Off", "I've Had It Hard", "Good Thing", "Bad Trip", "Infatuation", "Bo Diddley-Itis", "Woman", and "Look At Grandma".
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ROSEMARY CLOONEY WITH THE BUDDY COLE TRIO - SWING AROUND ROSIE (CORAL 1958) cardboard sleeve limited reissue

2009-10-14T04:09:00.005+02:00

Swing Around Rosie is a wonderful Rosemary Clooney LP.The sound quality is excellent and the artwork reflects good judgment. The Buddy Cole Trio plays magnificently, too.
The album starts off with Rosemary singing "'Deed I Do." "'Deed I Do" is a bouncy little tune that celebrates the joys of being in love. The Buddy Cole Trio throws in some mighty fine organ playing for the musical arrangement; and it all holds its own very well. "'Deed I Do" makes a strong start for this album. "You Took Advantage Of Me" features Rosemary singing this with a slower tempo than I'm used to--but she delivers this so well it's really very pretty. Rosemary's excellent timing enhances her performance, too.
"Blue Moon" is a classic love song that Rosemary aces so easily; her somewhat more mature voice sounds great and The Buddy Cole Trio supplies an excellent arrangement to accompany Rosemary as she sings. "A Touch Of The Blues" features Rosemary squarely in the spotlight--right where she belongs!...
"Goody, Goody" is a cover song that Rosemary makes all her own with her timing and diction; The Buddy Cole Trio play the organ and more to make this number truly stand out as one of the highlights of this album. Listen also for "Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me." This is yet another classic ballad featuring some great percussion while Rosemary sings this with all her heart and soul. How wonderful!
"I Wish I Were In Love Again" gets the royal treatment from Rosemary as she bats this right out of the ballpark. Rosemary's voice is again in excellent form and The Buddy Cole Trio plays beautiful music to make "I Wish I Were In Love Again" a very appealing number.
"Sunday In Savannah" is another charming ballad Rosemary Clooney fans are sure to enjoy; and the album ends well with Rosemary performing "This Can't Be Love." Rosemary sings this with plenty of enthusiasm and all her heart--excellent! "This Can't Be Love" really makes a fine, upbeat ending for this LP.
Rosemary Clooney fans will want this for their collections; it's absolutely wonderful. People who enjoy classic 40's-50's pop will love this too....
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WALTER WANDERLEY - RAIN FOREST (VERVE 1966) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-09-28T00:35:00.004+02:00

Walter Wanderley was a talented and gifted organist with an acute ear for new harmonies. With 46 recorded solo albums in his entire career, both in Brazil and the U.S., he reached number 26 on the Billboard pop charts in September 1966, opening a large pathway of success only menaced by himself and his complex character. Ten years after his death from cancer, with a new fad coming, he was repackaged by the entertainment industry as a mere lounge player, carrying his record sales even further and sending the cost of his out-of-print albums to the stratosphere, but all at the cost of minimizing his significance.
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The notes for this LP ask, "What issue is more topical than the Brazilian rain forest? So what reissue would be more topical than Walter Wanderley's Rain Forest?" Politically, this may be true, but musically, this collection is anything but topical. From the first tune -- the monster hit "Summer Samba," the listener is catapulted straight back to the '60s when bossa nova was new in the U.S. and everyone wanted a piece of it. Organist Wanderley made a big splash with this LP, which went platinum in two years -- and it does evoke strong water images, like "poolside" and "ice skating rink." The jazzmen are underutilized, since most of the tracks are less than three minutes long and leave little room to stretch out. One exception is the pretty Ferreira/Marconi ballad "Rain," the only track where Wanderley plays piano rather than organ and which features a fine solo by Urbie Green on trombone. On "Beach Samba," Green gets to noodle a bit, but Bucky Pizarelli is heard stating the melody and nothing else. Despite all the sadness implied in the song titles, this LP has a jaunty feel to it and will be best enjoyed by nostalgic fans of that bygone era.[allmusic]
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CLARENCE CARTER - PATCHES (ATLANTIC 1970) + 4 bonus

2009-09-11T18:11:00.006+03:00

PATCHES LYRICS
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"I was born and raised down in Alabama
On a farm way back up in the woods
I was so ragged that folks used to call me Patches
Papa used to tease me about it
'Cause deep down inside he was hurt
'Cause he'd done all he could
My papa was a great old man
I can see him with a shovel in his hands, see
Education he never had
He did wonders when the times got bad
The little money from the crops he raised
Barely paid the bills we made
For, life had kick him down to the ground
When he tried to get up
Life would kick him back down
One day Papa called me to his dyin' bed
Put his hands on my shoulders
And in his tears he said
He said, Patches
I'm dependin' on you, son
To pull the family through
My son, it's all left up to you
Two days later Papa passed away, and
I became a man that day
So I told Mama I was gonna quit school, but
She said that was Daddy's strictest rule
So ev'ry mornin' 'fore I went to school
I fed the chickens and I chopped wood too
Sometimes I felt that I couldn't go on
I wanted to leave, just run away from home
But I would remember what my daddy said
With tears in his eyes on his dyin' bed
He said, Patches
I'm dependin' on you, son
I tried to do my best
It's up to you to do the rest
Then one day a strong rain came
And washed all the crops away
And at the age of 13 I thought
I was carryin' the weight of the
Whole world on my shoulders
And you know, Mama knew
What I was goin' through, 'cause
Ev'ry day I had to work the fields
'Cause that's the only way we got our meals
You see, I was the oldest of the family
And ev'rybody else depended on me
Ev'ry night I heard my Mama pray
Lord, give him the strength to face another day
So years have passed and all the kids are grown
The angels took Mama to a brand new home
Lord knows, people, I shedded tears
But my daddy's voice kept me through the years"...
Here

CLARENCE CARTER - THE DYNAMIC (ATLANTIC 1969) + 3 bonus

2009-09-11T18:07:00.005+03:00

...few performances better typified the emerging Carter aesthetic than "Slip Away," a superior cheating ballad spotlighting his anguished, massive baritone alongside the remarkably sinuous backing of Fame's exemplary backing band. The record was a Top Ten hit, and its follow-up, "Too Weak to Fight," also went gold, solidifying Carter's newfound commercial appeal. He ended 1968 with a superbly funky Christmas single, the raunchy "Back Door Santa," in addition to mounting a national tour featuring backing vocalist Candi Staton, who later became Carter's wife as well as a soul star in her own right.
The percolating "Snatching It Back" was Carter's first Atlantic release of 1969 -- its B-side, a remake of James Carr's deep soul classic "The Dark End of the Street," remains one of the singer's most potent efforts, drawing on traditional blues and gospel to explore both the absurdity and anguish of infidelity. Subsequent singles including "The Feeling Is Right," "Doing Our Thing," and "Take It Off Him and Put It on Me" were only marginally successful, but in 1970 Carter returned to the Top Ten with the sentimental "Patches," his biggest hit to date. He nevertheless stumbled again with a run of 1971 releases like "Getting the Bills" and "Slipped, Tripped and Fell in Love," and in the wake of "If You Can't Beat 'Em" -- a duet with Staton -- Carter left Atlantic in 1972, returning to Fame with "Back in Your Arms Again."
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Clarence can still be seen hitting the road with his bag of musical emotions. Showcasing his music of the past, while interjecting his musical vision of the future, Clarence still performs for 1000's of fans a year.
Dr.CC as he is known to his worldwide fan base, can still bring the party to life with his soulful guitar work intertwined with his sexy lyrics, reminding us that you don't have to be down to sing the blues.
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CLARENCE CARTER - TESTIFYIN' (ATLANTIC 1969) remastered + 4 bonus

2009-08-27T14:43:00.006+03:00

From his biography
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...My music career began with a school pal of mine, Calvin Scott, and we signed a contract with "Duke Records" from which we had two releases that you probably never heard. We were known by several names, Clarence and Calvin and sometimes were called the CL. Boys. The songs that we recorded were, "You Stole My Heart" and "Money and women". I think one of the funniest thoughts about the experience with Duke Records happened the day when we received our first royalty check that amounted to twenty-five cents.
It is said that all things happen for the better, however when it happens, you cannot understand why. I am referring to the time when I was eleven years old and my mother told me that Santa would not be coming to me anymore. Though this news was disappointing to me at first, I quickly recovered when she told me that she bought me a guitar for Christmas.
I had a hard time learning how to play the guitar for I had no one to teach me how to play but, I was determined to play and I did so by listening to other people play and copy what I heard.
My association with Calvin was short lived because in 1966, we had an automobile accident that caused us to choose different careers. I then signed a contract with Rick Hall, who owned Fame Records, which was located in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. This was probably one of the wisest moves I have ever made. I learned how to write songs, how to sing professionally and how songs were produced into hit records.
Oh, I forgot to tell you, the name of my first record on Fame Records; it was "Tell Daddy All About It". My association with Fame Records lasted from 1966 until 1973. During this time, we had records like: "Slip Away" in 1968, "Too Weak To Fight" in 1969 and "Patches" in 1970. All three of these records were in the top ten positions on the charts. Atlantic Records proved to be a good idea that Rick Hall had for my career, for it was that company that gave stability in the music business for me...
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CLARENCE CARTER - THIS IS CLARENCE CARTER (ATLANTIC 1968) remastered + 4 bonus

2009-08-27T14:08:00.004+03:00

Born in Montgomery, Alabama on 14 January, 1936, Carter attended the Alabama School for the Blind in Talladega, Alabama, and Alabama State College in Montgomery, graduating in August 1960 with a Bachelor of Science degree in music. After the 1962 release of "I Don't Know (School Girl)," Carter and Scott left Fairlane Records for Duke Records, renaming themselves the CL Boys for their label debut, Hey. In all, the duo cut four Duke singles, none of them generating more than a shrug at radio[citation needed].

In 1965, they travelled to Rick Hall's FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals to record "Step by Step" and its flip side, "Rooster Knees and Rice. Atlantic Records took notice and released "Step by Step" on its Atco Records subsidiary, but it flopped. Carter continued as a solo act, signing to the Fame Records label for 1967's Tell Daddy. Several more solid singles followed, until Carter released "Slip Away," which hit number 6 on the Pop Charts. "Too Weak to Fight" hit number 13. Several more soul singles followed, like "Snatching It Back," "At The Dark End of the Street," "The Feeling Is Right," "Doing Our Thing" and "Patches." "Patches", (first recorded by Chairmen of the Board), was a UK number 2 and a U.S. number 4 in 1970, and was nominated for a Grammy in 1972. This disc sold over one million copies, and received a gold disc awarded by the R.I.A.A. in September 1970, just two months after its release.It was Carter's third million seller...
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JAMES BROWN - I GOT THE FEELIN' (KING 1968) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-08-10T02:12:00.005+03:00

Simply put, this is probably one of James Brown's all-time greatest, most consistently hot and funky records that he ever put out.
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"I Got the Feelin'" released as a single in 1968 & it reached #1 on the R&B charts and #6 on the pop charts. It also appeared on a 1968 album of the same name.
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The Jackson Five auditioned for Motown founder Berry Gordy in 1968 with a filmed performance of "I Got the Feelin'", with the ten-year-old Michael Jackson closely mimicking Brown's vocal style and dance moves...
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JAMES BROWN - SAY IT LOUD (KING 1969) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-08-10T01:38:00.004+03:00

If there's a downside to the proliferation of box sets and greatest-hits packages, it's that artists are often reduced to little more than their smash singles and memorable B-sides. As a chance to hear James Brown as a full-album artist, Say It Loud: I'm Black and I'm Proud is well worth owning. Recorded in 1969, at the height of Brown's powers, this does contain several known songs, chief among them the fierce title track and the sexy "Licking Stick." But listen to Brown tear into the mournful "I Guess I'll Have to Cry, Cry, Cry" or the bluesy "Let Them Talk" and you will get a true sense of the breadth of Brown's many talents. --Amy Linden
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The funk gem "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud" is a song written and recorded by James Brown in 1968. It is notable both as one of Brown's signature songs and as one of the most popular "black power" anthems of the 1960s. The song was released as a two-part single which held the number-one spot on the R&B singles chart for six weeks, and peaked at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100. [1] Both parts of the single were later included on a 1969 album of the same name.
"Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud" was the first Brown recording to feature trombonist Fred Wesley, who went on to become the bandleader of The J.B.'s.
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RICHARD "GROOVE" HOLMES - WORKIN' ON A GROOVY THING (PACIFIC JAZZ 1969) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-07-29T03:24:00.004+03:00

Revered in soul-jazz circles, Richard "Groove" Holmes was an unapologetically swinging Jimmy Smith admirer who could effortlessly move from the grittiest of blues to the most sentimental of ballads. Holmes, a very accessible, straightforward and warm player who was especially popular in the black community, had been well respected on the Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey circuit by the time he signed with Pacific Jazz in the early '60s and started receiving national attention by recording with such greats as Ben Webster and Gene Ammons. Holmes, best known for his hit 1965 version of "Misty," engaged in some inspired organ battles with Jimmy McGriff in the early '70s before turning to electric keyboards and fusion-ish material a few years later. The organ was Holmes' priority in the mid- to late '80s, when he recorded for Muse (he also had stints throughout his career with Prestige Records and Groove Merchant) . Holmes was still delivering high-quality soul-jazz for Muse (often featuring tenor titan Houston Person) when a heart attack claimed his life at the age of 60 in 1991 after a long struggle with prostrate cancer. He was a musician to the end, playing his last shows in a wheelchair.
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The name says it all. This man knew how to groove with both hands and feet. He acknowledged himself that in the world of organ players, there was Jimmy Smith and then all the rest; but he (humbly!) considered himself to be at the top of the rest. IMO, there was Smith, Groove, Patton, Young, then all the rest. But when it comes to funking it up, Groove had no match. He's influenced by sax players, like a lot of organ players.
He recorded some very nice "straight" Jazz sessions with Ben Webster, Gene Ammons, Houston Person, and Paul Chambers (renowned bass player). But he also recorded some of the funkiest shit I have ever heard.
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STEVIE WONDER - UP TIGHT (TAMLA 1966) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-07-27T05:00:00.005+03:00

"Uptight" was one of those albums that really didn't have a bad cut at all, and you could listen to both sides, all the way through, without your interest waning. The year started with the single of the title song still high in the top ten. Next, came a single whose both sides were equally good: the driving "Nothing's Too Good For My Baby" backed with a hypnotic ballad, just right for Stevie, "With A Child's Heart." Summertime saw a slightly edited version of "Blowing In The Wind" (a near-duet with Clarence Paul) climb high on the pop chart and to No. 1 on the R&B. The LP also reached back to January 1963 to carry the pre-`Fingertips' single, "Contract On Love." The album contained another duet as well: Levi Stubbs of the Four Tops giving Steve an assist on "Teach Me Tonight." Nowhere on the cover was this mentioned - you got the surprise when you played the record. "Hold Me," also, became a strong B-side in 1967 for "I Was Made To Love Her."
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"Uptight (Everything's Alright is one of his most popular early singles & it was the first Stevie Wonder song to be co-written by the artist.
The single was a watershed in Wonder's career for several reasons. Aside from the number-one hit "Fingertips", only two of Wonder's singles had reached the Top 40 of Billboard's Pop Singles chart, ("Workout, Stevie Workout" reached # 33 in late 1963 and "Hey Harmonica Man" reached # 29 Pop in the Summer of 1964) and the fifteen-year-old artist was in danger of being let go. In addition, Wonder's voice had begun to change, and Motown CEO Berry Gordy was worried that he would no longer be a commercially viable artist. As it turned out, however, producer Clarence Paul found it easier to work with Wonder's now-mature tenor voice, Sylvia Moy and Henry Cosby set about writing a new song for the artist, based upon an instrumental riff Wonder had devised. On the day of the recording, Moy had the lyrics, but didn't have them in braille for Wonder to read, and so sang the song to him as he was recording it. She sang a line ahead of him and he simply repeated the lines as he heard them. In 2008, Moy commented that "he never missed a beat" during the recording.
The resulting song, "Uptight (Everything's Alright)", features lyrics which depict a poor young man's appreciation for a rich girl's seeing beyond his poverty to his true worth. A notable success, "Uptight" peaked at number-three on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in early 1966, at the same time reaching the top of the Billboard R&B Singles chart for five weeks. An accompanying album, Up-Tight, was rushed into production to capitalize on the single's success.
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STEVIE WONDER - STEVIE AT THE BEACH (TAMLA 1964) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-07-20T03:46:00.006+03:00

Born Steveland Morris May 13, 1950 in Saginaw, Michigan. Stevie Wonder was placed in an incubator and given too much oxygen, causing permanent sight loss. Playing the harmonica at five, he started piano lessons at six and took up the drums at eight. Lula Mae Hardaway Wonder's mother was afraid to let the young boy out of house. Thus a brilliant musical career was launched. To pass the time of day, Wonder would beat on pot, pans,and any other surface that helped him keep rhythm with the tunes he heard on the radio. As he became proficient on various real instruments, he started playing at the local church and soon grew to be something of a neighborhood sensation. A child prodigy at an early age, Steveland sang like a seasoned veteran. After the family moved to Detroit word spread of the gifted Wonder. It would be only a matter of time until someone from Motown caught wind of this talented youngster.
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Stevie at the Beach is the fifth album by Motown singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder released on the Tamla (Motown) label in 1964. This album—with the exception of the mild hit—"Hey Harmonica Man", was a concept album of sorts, focusing on beach and surfer anthems as an attempt to get Wonder to now sing surf tunes. But much like the label's attempts to first make Wonder the teenage version of Ray Charles and then for one album as a lounge singer, it failed to connect with audiences. Wonder wouldn't have another hit until 1965 when he was finally allowed to showcase his musical talents more...
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LEE DORSEY - YES WE CAN (POLYDOR 1970) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 9 bonus

2009-07-15T02:35:00.006+03:00

New Orleans has always produced more than its share of truly singular music greats, many eccentric enough that they never hit outside of the region. But Lee Dorsey produced a considerable body of work, including several several national hits. Twenty four years after his death Dorsey remains a vastly underrated vocalist - by turns soulful, wry, converstional, playful, and bemused. By the time he made his first record ("Rock") for Ace in 1957 he was already 30 years old, and the following year began a longstanding collaboration with producer/writer Allen Toussaint ('Lottie Mo'). It wasn't until 1961 that he hit big on Bobby Robinson's Fire label with 'Ya-Ya', followed by 'Do-Re-Me' and several other less successful singles eventually collected on an album called "Ya Ya". In 1963 Lee recorded a terrific single for Smash that went nowhere, and this was followed by two more 45s released by the Constellation label. Finally In 1965 Toussaint signed him to his Sansu Enterprises and for the next five years Dorsey hit his stride on the Amy label with a string of classic singles and two great albums, "Ride Your Pony" and "The New Lee Dorsey", both beautifully remastered and expanded by Sundazed for CD in 2000. Next, Toussaint produced Dorsey's classic album for Polygram, "Yes We Can" in 1970. This is one of the seminal funk/soul albums of the '70s, capturing Lee and Toussaint at their mature peak. "Yes We Can" was first reissued on CD in the mid '90s, on a generous set that included bonus singles and outtakes from the 1970 - 73 Polydor period, plus a pair of rarely reissued gems recorded for the Smash label in 1963. The original album is essential, combining great songs, a mature delivery, and funk backing by the Meters and other N.O. greats.
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"Yes We Can" is available in Japan edition with a cardboard sleeve replicating the original album jacket. But more importantly it sounds superb, warm and detailed, and is nearly twice the length of the original album, including all four subsequent Polydor singles, the two Smash tracks, and several outtakes first issued on the out-of-print US "Yes We Can...And Then Some"...
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JOHNNY ZAMOT - TELL IT LIKE IT IS (DECCA 1967) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-07-08T02:00:00.006+03:00

Puerto Rican Johnny Ray (born Johnny Zamot) started playing Latin percussion while living in New York, signing to Decca Records after assembling his first group, called the Johnny Zamot Band. Soon they were climbing the charts with his first hit, a tropical song titled "Fat Mama." Johnny Ray's second band was Society 76, with trumpet players Ray Maldonado and Larry Spencer, trombonist José Rodríguez, and pianist Paquito Pastore, and achieved hits with "Bandolera" and "You're My Everything." Later, Johnny Ray founded his own label, releasing Suavecito and Dale Pa'arriba, and issued Romantico con Salsa in 2001 after signing up to Univision Music Group.
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A heck of a great little boogaloo album -- and one of the few 60s sides by the legendary Johnny Zamot! Although cut for Decca, the album's every bit as tight and soulful as contemporaneous work for Tico, Fania, or Cotique -- and the set features a similar blend of English lyrics, Latin rhythms, and a nicely gritty Spanish Harlem approach to the music! The horns cut wonderfully into most of the tunes -- blasting out with a soul instrumental sort of vibe, while the lyrics tackle simple themes of love and lust on titles that include "Baby, Bring It To Me", "You Cheated On Me", "Harlem Boogaloo", "Hey Girl", "You Dig", and the sweet instrumental "Latino Baby", written by Pat Patrick, from Sun Ra's group!Here

LITTLE JOE BLUE - SOUTHERN COUNTRY BOY (JEWEL 1971) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 8 bonus

2009-07-04T03:34:00.005+03:00

Little Joe Blue, born Joseph Valery, Jr., was a relatively late starter as a blues artist. Born in Mississippi in 1934, his musical sensibilities were heavily influenced by the work of Louis Jordan, Joe Liggins, and B.B. King, which he encountered from his teens into his 20s. He didn't turn to music as a profession until the late '50s, when he was well into his 20s, forming his band the Midnighters in Detroit at the end of the decade. By the early '60s, Valery had moved to Reno, Nevada, where he began recording as an adjunct to his performances in local clubs, before moving on to Los Angeles. He recorded for various labels, including Kent and Chess's Checker Records division during the early to mid-'60s, and never entirely escaped the criticism that he was a B.B. King imitator, which dogged him right into the '80s. The style that King popularized also happened to suit Valery, however, and he gained some credibility in 1966 when he racked up a modest hit in 1966 with the song "Dirty Work Is Going On," which has since become a blues standard. He had extended stints with Jewel Records and Chess from the late '60s into the early '70s, and recorded until the end of the 1980s. Valery performed throughout the south, and later Texas and California, during that decade, and later toured Europe, including performances as part of the International Jazz Fest during the 1980s.
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Gritty electric work from Little Joe Blue -- a early 70s session for the Jewel label, cut with a really down-home feel! Most numbers here feature Little Joe updating an older mode with an electric twist -- but some other cuts pick up the pace a bit, and almost sound a bit funky -- thanks to some fuller southern soul backings! These are naturally our favorites -- and the cuts "Southern Country Boy" and "Right There Where You Left It" have more than enough beats to please any digger of funky 45s -- but the other tracks are pretty great too, and include "Encourage My Baby", "Gonna Walk On", "Only A Fool", "Just Love Won't Do", and "Sometime Tomorrow". CD features 8 bonus tracks too -- some recorded with Maxwell Davis on piano and Lowell Fulsom on guitar, and some a bit funky too. Bonus tracks include "Standing On The Threshold", "My Heart Beats Like A Drum", "Don't Tell Me Nothing About My Baby", "Your Hands May Be Tied", "A Fool Is What You Wanted", and "Shakin Hands With The Judge"...
Rapid Link

BETTY EVERETT - IT'S IN HIS KISS (VEE-JAY 1963) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 5 bonus

2009-06-29T00:41:00.007+03:00

Betty Everett sang gospel growing up in Greenwood, MS, before relocating to Chicago and moving into secular music. She began recording for Cobra in 1958, then joined Vee-Jay in the early '60s and started to land hit records. Her original version of "You're No Good," though sung with fire and verve, didn't make much impact until it was turned into a number one pop hit by Linda Ronstadt in 1975. Her next single, "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)," was her first major release, peaking at number six pop in 1964. Her next success was the duet "Let it Be Me" with Jerry Butler, a soul version of the Everly Brothers tune that reached number five R&B that same year. Everett's finest song as a solo act was 1969's "There'll Come a Time," which reached number two on the R&B charts and also cracked the pop Top 30 at number 26. Everett was now on Uni, where she remained until 1970. She continued recording for Fantasy until 1974 and made one other record for United Artists in 1978.
From the 1980s until her death, Everett resided in Beloit, Wisconsin, where she was involved in the Rhythm & Blues Foundation and the churches of the Fountain of Life and New Covenant. A flurry of press interest in her in the early 90s followed the use of "The Shoop Shoop Song" in the successful film, Mermaids, starring Cher, but she was unable to properly resurrect her career. In 2000, she made her last public appearance on the PBS special Doo Wop 51. Everett died at her home in Beloit on August 19, 2001; she was 61 years old...Here

FREDDIE COLE - WAITER, ASK THE MAN TO PLAY THE BLUES (DOT 1964)

2009-06-19T00:49:00.008+03:00

The younger brother of Nat King Cole and uncle of Natalie Cole, singer/pianist Freddy Cole sounds a great deal like his celebrated sibling, yet has a personality of his own. Cole, whose vocals tend to be a bit darker and slightly rougher, began playing piano at five or six. He was interested in playing football professionally, but decided to pursue a career in music after a hand injury ended his career as an athlete. Cole debuted on vinyl in 1952, when he recorded the single "The Joke's on Me" for the obscure Chicago-based Topper Records. His next single, "Whispering Grass" on Columbia's OKeh label, was a moderate hit in 1953. In the '60s and '70s, he developed a small following recording for various small labels.
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Freddie Cole may not have been as well known or quite as gifted as his brother Nat, but that doesn't mean he's not a brilliant singer and pianist. This 1964 date for Dot, with bassist Milt Hinton, Sam Taylor on tenor, Osie Johnson on drums, and alternating guitarists Barry Galbraith and Wally Richardson, is a case in point. This is Cole just playing and singing the... More swinging blues in a relaxed small-combo setting. His tune selection is flawlessly suited to his voice, a darkling instrument with a very slight roughness in its grain. The title track features a late-night, forlorn groove with the piano punching lines as Cole's vocal effortlessly floats on top and guitars and the rhythm section whisper in the background. "Black Night," with Taylor leading the parade, is on a more straight-up R&B tip, and Cole's vocal with its swinging ease and depth makes this a standout on an album full of them. Jimmy Witherspoon's "Rain Is Such a Lonesome Sound" is rawer and rougher, but his croon and growl still entwine effortlessly with the band's strut. Sam Chatmon's "This Life I'm Living" is a tough swaggering blues done in prime vintage '50s R&B style, with Cole's baritone digging deep into the lyric as his piano punches between his sung lines. Finally issued on CD in 2004 in completely remastered form as part of Verve's limited-edition Original Classics series, it's a stellar example of vocal jazz and blues...[net]
Here

PEGGY LEE - BLACK COFFEE (DECCA 1956) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-06-17T17:22:00.004+03:00

"A Woman Alone With the Blues" features sparse piano, whispering drums, and a mournful trumpet lurking in the background. But it's the vocals that really push it over the edge. Peggy Lee doesn't sing this song; she crawls into it and huddles in the dark spaces, as she does on virtually all of the songs on 1956's Black Coffee.
The title song is the typical blue flame ballad that one always associates with smoky jazz clubs and perfectly sets the mood for the rest of the album. The original ten-inch release had Lee backed by a quartet on a handful of torch songs and blues. Lee jumps into the river that goes all the way back to Ethel Waters, showing an ability to live through the lyrics normally associated with Billie Holiday. Through the tales of love lost, only "I've Got You Under My Skin" breaks through the clouds, but whoever this fellow may be she's singing about, he didn't last for long.
Four tracks pad out the original release to plump it up to a full length LP. A harp, guitar, and vibes provide a gossamer texture, used to good effect on the virtually tempoless "You're My Thrill" and the music box introduction to "There's A Small Hotel." Like any good album, the strength is in the details, and the group has fashioned clever twists to familiar songs that are strung together as an album that deserves to be heard as a complete statement.
"I'd rather be lonely than happy with somebody else," Lee sings. The melancholy ballads here may make one believe otherwise. Black Coffee proves that thoughtful song selection, intelligent accompaniment, and brilliant singing can combine to create a work of art. Although known more for her pop efforts, Lee has created one of the best examples of jazz singing ever recorded.
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During the early '50s, Peggy Lee rode high on the strength of her own taste into stardom - she was a glamorous beacon whose sultry voice gave her performances a shimmering eroticism. Black Coffee may be the greatest album of her genuine "concept albums." Originally recorded in 1953, Lee turned Black Coffee into a jazz project - something no other mainstream pop singer had done up to that point. It was so successful that three years later, Decca asked her to expand it into the newer 12" format. Many years later, she named this album as her own favorite.
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HARVEY AVERNE DOZEN - VIVA SOUL (ATLANTIC 1968) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-06-14T02:22:00.005+03:00

Though many artists in the late '60s earnestly searched for the place where Latin rhythms and soul melodies could intersect, few found it. Harvey Averne may have been one of the very few that could both swing salsa fans and get the soul crowd "shaking their money maker." The vibraphonist and bandleader wisely incorporated the most essential elements of R&B while adding Latino influence with salsa-inflected horn vamps and percussion voices otherwise unheard in the soul genre. It is albums like Viva Soul that would define the role of Latino concepts in American pop music for generations to come. That noted, this is a soul record with rice and beans on the side. Congas and compana are spice here, not the main course. Though Averne's vibraphone has a place on the album, it seems to be on the corner of the stage. Having co-written half the tunes in the repertoire along with the record's arranger Marty Sheller, and with a nominal musical role, with maybe eight bars of solo on the whole album, one might wonder whose record this is. Irrespective of the leadership, Viva Soul features some of the highest production quality and most pleasing arrangements of the Latin/soul crossover genre. ~ Evan C. Gutierrez, All Music Guide
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A wicked album of Latin Soul tunes -- recorded by Harvey Averne, one of the heaviest hitting producers of the New York scene of the late 60s! The album's one of the few that Harvey issued under his own name, and it features him on piano and vibes, working with arrangements by Marty Sheller, and a tight batch of studio players who cook up the grooves in a classic Fania/Tico style! The album's got some very groovy originals -- like "The Micro Mini", "You're No Good", "My Dream", and "You Mess My Mind Up" -- plus some sweet little covers, like "The Think Drink Theme", "The Word", and "Wishing & Hoping" -- all of which come off like some of Willie Bobo's best work of the time!
Here

LITTLE RICHARD - THE "OKEH" SESSIONS (OKEH 1966-1967) Jap mastering

2009-06-09T04:06:00.010+03:00

While Little Richard Penniman is well known for his Specialty, Mercury, Veejay, and Modern recordings (though many of the sides on the latter two labels were merely redos of his Specialty hits), he is little celebrated for these wonderful sides recorded for Okeh in 1966 and 1967. The Little Richard on these sessions is a seasoned R&B singer whose feet are deeply rooted in modern-era Southern soul. That said, there are a few traces of Motown that creep in as well -- despite the fact that the material was all recorded in Hollywood. For Okeh, Little Richard recorded devastatingly fine versions of "Function at the Junction," "I Don't Want to Discuss It," Berry Gordy's "M-O-N-E-Y," "Poor Dog," "Hurry Sundown," and Sam Cooke's "Well All Right" to mention a few. To help him pull it all off -- this was seen as a last-ditch survival effort for the singer -- Little Richard's sidemen for these dates include Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Larry Williams, Eddie Fletcher, and Glen Willings -- a crack studio band if there ever was one. In sum, the Okeh material yielded one fine, 11-track album in The Explosive Little Richard released in 1967, and three issued B-sides for its singles. Appearing on this CD for the very first time are three leftover tracks that include smoking raw versions of Fats Domino's "Rocking Chair" and Leiber & Stoller's "Hound Dog." For those who are contemplating a Little Richard CD, the Specialty sides should come first because they contain the original versions of his classics. For those who already have that material, this set is an excellent addition to the Penniman shelf. There isn't a loser in the bunch, and these performances are truly inspired, burning from start to finish; they are startling even today. In addition to the great music, soul expert Charles White's liner notes are thorough and authoritative and offer the same kind of exuberance Penniman put into these performances.
Here

JOHN LEE HOOKER - THE FOLKLORE OF JOHN LEE HOOKER (VEE-JAY 1961) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-06-05T01:26:00.007+03:00

John Lee Hooker (August 22, 1917 – June 21, 2001) was a Grammy Award-winning influential African American singer-songwriter and blues guitarist, born in Coahoma County near Clarksdale, Mississippi. Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a half-spoken style that was his trademark. Though similar to the early Delta blues, his music was rhythmically free. John Lee Hooker could be said to embody his own unique genre of the blues, often incorporating the boogie-woogie piano style and a driving rhythm into his masterful and idiosyncratic blues guitar and singing.
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He first introduced the world to his own style of foot-stompin' Mississippi blues in 1948 with the release of his first single, 'Boogie Chillen', a style that would be widely imitated in the following decades by everyone from Van Morrison to the Rolling Stones. The Folklore Of John Lee Hooker, like much of his most memorable material, was released in on Chicago's Vee Jay label in 1961, and features another blues legend in his own right, Jimmy Reed.
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It's his third Vee-Jay LP, featuring a.o. a handful of tuff rhythm & blues originals with Lefty Bates,gtr & hca , Quinn Wilson,b; Earl Phillips;dms and possibly Pops Staples also present. The six recordings of January 4 (of which only four are included on the album) are nowadays all true classics: "Want Ad Blues", "I´m Going Upstairs", "I Left My Baby", "Hard Headed Woman", "I´m Mad Again"...
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JOHNNIE TAYLOR - WHO'S MAKING LOVE (STAX 1968) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 1 bonus

2009-06-03T03:42:00.007+03:00

Despite Johnnie Taylor's awesome run of hit records, he remains somewhat of an enigma, perhaps the most underrated recording artist of all time. Never-the-less, over the past twenty-five years, this 48-year old singing sensation has been one of the most versatile and durable recording artists of the era. With a career than embraced Gospel, Pop, Blues, Doo Wopp, Memphis Soul, and even Disco, Taylor has proven he can handle any piece of music.
Taylor first recorded in the early fifties as part of the Five Echoes, a Doo-wopp group that had one release on the Chance label in Chicago. However, he didn't receive any real recognition of "SOMEWHERE TO LAY MY HEAD". Taylor's lead singing was strikingly close to Sam Cooke, so it wasn't surprising that he took Cooke's place in the Soul Stirrers in 1957. During the next two years, Taylor would make a number of fine recordings with that group, but he eventually left to pursue a short career as a preacher.
In the interim, Sam Cooke had formed the Sar label as a sideline to his own successful recording career. Ironically, Cooke recruited Taylor for the label with the intention of making him a Pop / R&B attraction. Taylor would score with "ROME WASN'T BUILT IN A DAY" in 1962, but his recording career bogged down temporarily when Sar's operations were suspended after the tragic death of Sam Cooke.
All that was remedied in 1966 when Taylor signed on with Stax Records in Memphis, scoring with the bluesy "I HAD A DREAM" and "I'VE GOT TO LOVE SOMEBODY'S BABY". Two years later, Taylor's style easily adapted to the demands of modern Soul with his recording of "WHO'S MAKING LOVE", which shot to the top of the R&B charts. The record sold more than two million singles, and established Taylor as one of the nation's premier Soul attractions.
For the next seven years, Taylor's name rarely left the bestseller list. His first million seller was followed by such classics as "TAKE CARE OF YOUR HOMEWORK", "JODY'S GOT YOUR GIRL", "STEAL AWAY" and "CHEAPER TO KEEP HER" to name a few. It's true that much ink has been spilled documenting the contributions Otis Redding, Booker T & The M.G.'s, Issac Hayes and Sam & Dave made to Stax Records, but in fact, Johnnie Taylor was their all time best selling recording artist.
With the demise of Stax, Taylor moved over to Columbia, waxing the mega-hit, "DISCO LADY", which was at the top of everybody's charts in 1975. Unfortunately, Columbia didn't fully recognize Taylor's talent, and they were content to mistakenly cast him as merely a Disco artist. Not surprisingly, his record sales slipped.
After leaving Columbia, he made a brief stop at Beverly Glen Records in 1982, recording a reasonable album and climbing back into the charts with the "WHAT ABOUT MY LOVE" single. But, as Taylor admits, at the time he was looking for a record company that would work closely with him just as Stax once had.
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Johnnie Taylor died of a heart attack on may 31st, 2000 and is buried at the Forrest Hill Cemetery, Kansas City, Missouri.
Here

JR. WALKER AND THE ALL STARS - SHOTGUN (SOUL 1965) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-05-25T03:23:00.007+03:00

Born Autry DeWalt Mixon in Blythesville, Arkansas on June 14, 1931 grew up in South Bend, Indiana. It was there while in high school where he took saxophone and picked up his nickname. Inspired by Louis Jordan Walker fell in love with the saxophone. Soon after graduating high school Walker turned professional and played in local jazz and R&B clubs with bands such as The Jumping Jacks and The Stix Nix. Moving to Battle Creek, Michigan in the late '50s he formed Junior Walker and The All Stars. The group consisted of Junior Walker, sax, vocals; Vic Thomas, Keyboards; Willie Woods, guitar; James Graves, drums. While playing the local club circuit the following year the group was spotted by Johnny Bristol. Bristol recommended them to Harvey Fuqua, who signed them to his own Harvey label. Fuqua's Tri-Phi and Harvey labels were taken over by Motown Records in 1963, and Junior Walker and the All-Stars began recording for the subsidiary label Soul in 1964.
In early 1965, Junior Walker and The All-Stars recorded "Shotgun (#4 pop, #1 R&B, 1965) and had a string of party hits that included "Do the Boomerang," (#10 R&B) and "Shake and Fingerpop" (#7 R&B) in 1965; "How Sweet it is (to Be Loved By You)" (#18 pop, #3 R&B) and "I'm a Road Runner" (#20 pop, #4 R&B) in 1966; "Pucker Up Buttercup" (#3 pop, #11 R&B) and "Come See About Me' (#24 pop, #8 R&B) in 1967, and "Hip City, Part Two" (##7 R&B 1965) in 1968.
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In 1965 Walker hit it big with “Shotgun”. After “Shotgun” there were a string of hits, none of which were totally in the Motown mode. For one thing they were loud, wild and raucous as a Saturday night at a Mississippi Delta throwdown. For another it was instrumental music with the leader howling out catchy phrases.
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KAKO & HIS ORCHESTRA - SOCK IT TO ME LATINO (MUSICOR 1968) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-05-23T04:56:00.006+03:00

A go-go dancer on the cover, and some very tasty grooves on the record -- hard and heavy Latin work from the mighty Kako, cut with a sound that's a lot more classic than you might guess from the image on the front! The style here has a slight nod to the boogaloo generation, but also really revels in older Afro-Cuban modes -- sounding especially strong on the descarga tip, as Kako and combo jam nicely with a really frenetic sort of approach. Menique sings vocals on some numbers, and other members of the group include Ricardo Ray and Victor Paz. Titles include "Kako's Boogaloo", "Guajira En Carnaval", "Bomba Sabrosa", "Descarga Panama", and "Negro Soy".
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MENIQUE:..."In 1968, Kako came to play at Los Carnavales de Panama, and you know, he was left without a singer. So he asked the musicians in Panama if they knew a singer that could learn his music fast. He was told there were two singers, Beto Duvois and Meñique. He wanted both of us, but I was the lucky one to come to New York because I was able to get my visa, and Beto could not come. After a year, Kako became my brother-in-law when I married one of his sisters.
The recording of the long player Sock It To Me, Latino! was a great experience. I have great memories of everyone that participated in Kako y su Combo.
Some of the musicians that participated in Sock It To Me, Latino! were Chamaco Ramírez, Frankie Figueroa, Manny Román, Víctor Paz, Cheo Feliciano and Raymond Maldonado. All the musicians were in good humour and I blended into the group, even though I was only with them for about three months. Kako was a great guy; he took me in with his family when I came from Panama."
Here

JEAN KNIGHT - MR. BIG STUFF (STAX 1970) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 6 bonus

2009-05-20T02:31:00.006+03:00

Jean Knight (born Jean Caliste, New Orleans, Louisiana), is a soul/R&B/funk singer, best known for her 1971 Stax Records hit single, "Mr. Big Stuff."
After graduating from high school, Caliste began singing at her cousin's bar 'Laura's Place' and caught the attention of many different bands who were willing to accompany her. In 1965, she recorded a demo of a cover version of Jackie Wilson's song "Stop Doggin' Me Around." Her demo attracted record producer Huey Meaux, who signed her to a recording contract at the Jet Star/Tribe record labels. Shortly thereafter, Caliste adopted the professional name of "Jean Knight," because she felt that her surname was too hard to pronounce. She recorded four singles, making a name for herself locally, but was not able to attract any national attention. By the late 1960s, it was obvious that her career was not living up to her high expectations, so she went to work as a baker in the cafeteria of Loyola University in New Orleans.
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In early 1970, she was discovered by songwriter Ralph Williams, who wanted her to record some songs. With Williams' connections, she came in contact with record producer Wardell Quezergue. In May of that year, she went to Malaco Studios in Jackson, Mississippi for a recording session in which she recorded "Mr. Big Stuff." After the session was finished, the song was given to several national labels, who all rejected it. But when King Floyd's hit "Groove Me" (also recorded at Malaco Studios) became a #1 R&B hit in early 1971, Stax Records remembered Knight's recording of "Mr. Big Stuff," reconsidered, and released it. The song proved to be an instant smash in 1971, reaching #2 on the pop chart and becoming a #1 R&B hit. It went double-platinum and received a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female; it lost to Aretha Franklin's version of "Bridge Over Troubled Water." The next year, Knight was named the 'Most Promising Female Vocalist'. An album of the same name proved to be fairly successful. A couple more minor hits followed, but disagreements with her producer and her label terminated Knight's involvement with Stax...
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JAMES BROWN & THE FAMOUS FLAMES - PAPA'S GOT A BRAND NEW BAG (KING 1965) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-05-19T02:19:00.006+03:00

He is recognized as one of the most influential figures in 20th century popular music and was renowned for his vocals and feverish dancing. He was known as "The Godfather of Soul".
As a prolific singer, songwriter, dancer and bandleader, Brown was a pivotal force in the music industry. He left his mark on numerous artists. Brown's music also left its mark on the rhythms of African popular music, such as afrobeat, jùjú and mbalax,and provided a template for go-go music.
Brown began his professional music career in 1956 and rose to fame during the late 1950s and early 1960s on the strength of his thrilling live performances and string of smash hits. In spite of various personal problems and setbacks he continued to score hits in every decade through the 1980s. In addition to his acclaim in music, Brown was also a presence in American political affairs during the 1960s and 1970s.
He was also recognized by numerous titles, including Soul Brother Number One, Sex Machine, Mr. Dynamite, The Hardest Working Man in Show Business, The King of Funk, Minister of The New New Super Heavy Funk, Mr. Please Please Please Please Her, I Feel Good, The Boss and foremost The Godfather of Soul.
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"Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" released as a two-part single in 1965, it was Brown's first song to reach the Billboard Hot 100 Top Ten, peaking at number eight. It was also a number-one R&B hit, topping the charts for eight weeks.
"Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" is widely considered the first recording to showcase what later became Brown's signature musical style, and marks the beginning of the development of the musical genre of funk. As Brown sings the praises of an old man brave enough to get out on the dance floor of a nightclub, Brown's band provides a horn-heavy backdrop with a prominent rhythm and an electric guitar riff for a hook. It is considered one of Brown's signature songs, and has been covered by many artists, both within the R&B genre and outside of it.
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CHRIS CONNOR - CHRIS IN PERSON (ATLANTIC 1959) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-05-14T03:11:00.006+03:00

Chris Connor is a jazz singer known for her distinctive style and expression. She was born Mary Loutsenhizer, the daughter of father Clyde, a telegrapher who also played the violin, and Mabel, a homemaker. Connor studied and became proficient on the clarinet, having studied for 8 years throughout junior high and high school. Her mother died in 1940 when she was just 13 years old. She first sang publicly in 1945, at the Jefferson City Junior College's graduation. She performed the song Amor and it was well-received. After that debut she decided she wanted to pursue a singing career. Initially, she stayed in Kansas City, working weekdays as a stenographer and singing on the weekends. Her first professional job was with the University of Columbus college band playing various functions in the Jefferson City area. She moved between local bands from 1946-1947 and then decided to make a big move.
In 1948, she trekked off to New York City to make it big. Unable to find a singing job and nearly broke, she took a stenographic job for a local office, and spent the next 7 weeks trying to secure a singing job. She met a band manager who knew bandleader Claude Thornhill's road manager, Joe Green. Fortunatley for Chris, he was looking for a new singer to round out his vocal group, the Snowflakes. She successfully auditioned for Thornhill and joined his group, touring around the United States and recording harmonies in the studio. Of her time spent with the Snowflakes, there is only evidence of her vocals on two recorded songs: "There's A Small Hotel" and "I Don't Know Why," both performed in 1949.
She continued to tour with the Thornhill band sporadically until March 1952, when she joined Jerry Wald's big band and recorded five songs: "You're The Cream In My Coffee," "Cherokee," "Pennies From Heaven" "Raisins And Almonds" and "Terremoto." She also reunited with Claude Thornhill in October 1952 for a radio broadcast from the Statler Hotel in New York City. She sang four songs: "Wish You Were Here," Come Rain Or Come Shine," "Sorta Kinda" and "Who Are We To Say."
After leaving the Kenton band due to exhaustion, she decided to move back to New York in the fall of 1953. Soon after, she hired Monte Kay to manage her solo career. He found work for her at the famed club Birdland. One night after a show, the owner of Bethlehem Records, Gus Wildi, offered her a recording contract. She signed with the label in 1953, and in 1954 released dual long play LPs, Chris Connor sings Lullabys Of Birdland and Chris Connor Sings Lullabys For Lovers. She recorded for Bethlehem Records originally and then began a long association with Atlantic Records. Her trademark songs are well known to most people familiar with jazz of the 1950s and 1960s.In late 1956, Ms. Connor hit the popular-music charts with the title cut from her album “I Miss You So.”
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OTIS SPANN - CRYIN' TIME (VANGUARD 1969) master edition

2009-05-10T02:23:00.000+03:00

While the Muddy Waters sideman is best known for piano, his soulful organ steals the show on this late-'60s release. His singing is serviceable, helped by wife Lucille Spann on two cuts. Country Joe & the Fish co-founder Barry Melton plays lead guitar, with Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson taking the second chair. - by Mark Allan, AMG
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Undoubtedly,the finest blues pianist of the late Fifties & Sixties,Otis Spann recorded "Cryin' Time"in 1968 (but released in 1970) with a great band that included not only Muddy Waters' guitarist Luther Johnson but also Country Joe & The Fish's guitarist Barry Melton.
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Personnel:
Otis Spann (Piano, Organ and Vocals)
Lonnie Taylor (Drums)
Jos Davidson (Bass Guitar)
Barry Melton (Guitar)
Luther Johnson (Guitar)
Lucille Spann (Vocals) - 5,6

Tracks:
1. Home to Mississippi (Otis Spann) 3:26
2. Blues Is a Botheration (Otis Spann) 4:02
3. You Said You'd Be on Time (George Spink/Otis Spann) 4:46
4. Cryin' Time (Otis Spann) 3:11
5. Blind Man (Traditional) 3:18
6. Some Day (Otis Spann) 4:35
7. Twisted Snake (Otis Spann) 3:02
8. Green Flowers (McKinley Morganfield) 3:44
9. The New Boogaloo (Otis Spann) 2:09
10. Mule Kicking in My Stall (Otis Spann) 3:29
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JOHN LEE HOOKER - ON CAMPUS (VEE JAY 1964) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-05-10T02:16:00.000+03:00

Vee Jay's 1964 album John Lee Hooker on Campus is titled to sound like a live recording but it isn't. These 12 tracks originally tried to capitalize on Hooker's emergence on the coffeehouse college tours he was involved in at the time. This is an electric album that contains excellent material from Hooker, even though the occasional background singers get in the way, attempting to modernize his gritty blues with a smoother soul sound. All of the Vee Jay reissues of John Lee Hooker material are worth having...
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...Once tied in with Vee-Jay, the rough-and-tumble sound of Hooker's solo and duet waxings was adapted to a band format. Hooker had recorded with various combos along the way before, but never with sidemen as versatile and sympathetic as guitarist Eddie Taylor and harpist Jimmy Reed, who backed him at his initial Vee-Jay date that produced "Time Is Marching" and the superfluous sequel "Mambo Chillun."
Taylor stuck around for a 1956 session that elicited two genuine Hooker classics, "Baby Lee" and "Dimples," and he was still deftly anchoring the rhythm section (Hooker's sense of timing was his and his alone, demanding big-eared sidemen) when the Boogie Man finally made it back to the R&B charts in 1958 with "I Love You Honey."
Vee-Jay presented Hooker in quite an array of settings during the early '60s. His grinding, tough blues "No Shoes" proved a surprisingly sizable hit in 1960, while the storming "Boom Boom," his top seller for the firm in 1962 (it even cracked the pop airwaves), was an infectious R&B dance number benefiting from the reported presence of some of Motown's house musicians. But there were also acoustic outings aimed squarely at the blossoming folk-blues crowd, as well as some attempts at up-to-date R&B that featured highly intrusive female background vocals (allegedly by the Vandellas) and utterly unyielding structures that hemmed Hooker in unmercifully...[net]
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LOWELL FULSOM - TRAMP (KENT 1967) Jap mastering cardboard + 2 bonus

2009-05-10T02:10:00.001+03:00

One of THE all time classics of funky blues a record built around Lowell's huge single "Tramp" a massive tune that spawned a whole generation of answer tunes! "Tramp" kicks off the set with a stone break that's worth the price of the album then Lowell slides into some tunes that have a bit more of a conventional bluesy approach, mixed with a few other nice cuts that get a bit funky too! A rough-edged classic that really stands out -- and which has made Fulsom one of the better-collected bluesmen of the beathead crowd. In addition to "Tramp", other tracks include "Two Way Wishin", "Back Door Key", "Year Of 29", "Pico", "Goin' Home", and "Black Nights". Includes 2 bonus tracks -- "Tramp (take 1)" and "Year Of 29 (alt take)"....
While most of Tramp's tunes lean more heavily on traditional blues structures than the title tune, Fulson was obviously aiming for a funky ambience rather than the heavy emotional crush of the deep blues, and his clean, uncluttered guitar solos are warmer and more approachable than the typical Chicago-style guitar work of the day. There's a sly playfulness to this material that's winning, and even the most down-and-out songs here display a light touch and creative intelligence that sets Fulson apart. you can hear where Albert king got his singing style from...
### A GREAT SOUL-BLUES ALBUM###
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B.B. KING - KING OF THE BLUES (CROWN 1960) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-05-10T02:04:00.000+03:00

For more than half a century, Riley B. King has defined the blues for a worldwide audience. Since he started recording in the 1940s, he has released over fifty albums, many of them classics. He was born September 16, 1925, on a plantation in Itta Bena, Mississippi, near Indianola. In his youth, he played on street corners for dimes, and would sometimes play in as many as four towns a night. In 1947, he hitchhiked to Memphis, TN, to pursue his music career. Memphis was where every important musician of the South gravitated, and which supported a large musical community where every style of African American music could be found. B.B. stayed with his cousin Bukka White, one of the most celebrated blues performers of his time, who schooled B.B. further in the art of the blues.
B.B.'s first big break came in 1948 when he performed on Sonny Boy Williamson's radio program on KWEM out of West Memphis. This led to steady engagements at the Sixteenth Avenue Grill in West Memphis, and later to a ten-minute spot on black-staffed and managed Memphis radio station WDIA. "King's Spot," became so popular, it was expanded and became the "Sepia Swing Club." Soon B.B. needed a catchy radio name. What started out as Beale Street Blues Boy was shortened to Blues Boy King, and eventually B.B. King.
In the mid-1950s, while B.B. was performing at a dance in Twist, Arkansas, a few fans became unruly. Two men got into a fight and knocked over a kerosene stove, setting fire to the hall. B.B. raced outdoors to safety with everyone else, then realized that he left his beloved $30 acoustic guitar inside, so he rushed back inside the burning building to retrieve it, narrowly escaping death. When he later found out that the fight had been over a woman named Lucille, he decided to give the name to his guitar to remind him never to do a crazy thing like fight over a woman. Ever since, each one of B.B.'s trademark Gibson guitars has been called Lucille...[net]
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GREAT ALBUM!!! FULL STEREO!!!
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GENE CHANDLER - THE DUKE OF EARL (VEE JAY 1962) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 5 bonus

2009-05-10T01:57:00.000+03:00

Gene Chandler esteemed by soul fans as one of the leading exponents of the 1960s Chicago soul scene, along with Curtis Mayfield and Jerry Butler. His signature hit is the #1 Billboard Hot 100 chart song, "Duke of Earl" (1962). Chandler wrote and performed many more songs, and collaborated with many of the greats in the soul and R&B world.In 1957 he joined a doo-wop group called The Dukays with James Lowe, Shirley Jones, Earl Edwards and Ben Broyles, quickly becoming their lead singer. He was drafted by the U.S. Army to Germany for three years, returned to Chicago in 1960, and rejoined his bandmates. Through music industry contacts, the Dukays were offered a recording contract by the Chicago based Nat Records. The first single was titled "The Girl Is a Devil." In 1961, Nat Records released a song titled "Nite Owl", and the band went back to the recording studio to record once more.
At the time, Nat Records wanted to release the new song "Duke of Earl", but was unable to. An executive with Vee-Jay Records, Calvin Carter, heard the song and wanted it for distribution as a song on his record label, but only as a Gene Chandler record. Vee-Jay was not interested in The Dukays.
Meanwhile, the previously recorded "Nite Owl" was on the charts, putting Chandler in a dilemma. He thus recorded with The Dukays under the name 'Gene Dixon' and recorded solo as 'Gene Chandler'.
When VeeJay was finally able to release "Duke of Earl", it sent it out as by Chandler, even though the Dukays had recorded it. The song sold a million copies in just over one month. "The Duke" was born. Chandler can be seen in the full 'Duke' outfit singing "The Duke of Earl" in the 1962 movie, Don't Knock the Twist, starring Chubby Checker.
After spending three weeks at number one on the Billboard Magazine charts, Chandler got a cape, a monocle, a top hat and a cane. He simply became "The Duke of Earl" and his concerts drew a large crowd. Occasionally he would come out for an encore, usually "Rainbow." "Rainbow" was one of Chandler's collaborations with Curtis Mayfield, and the only song Chandler has ever recorded three times. Each time the song has been re-recorded, it became a hit all over again...[net]
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TEDDY BEARS - SING! (IMPERIAL 1959) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve mono &stereo + bonus

2009-05-10T00:47:00.000+03:00

Were it not for the fact that Phil Spector began as a member of the Teddy Bears, this one-hit-wonder trio would most likely be a minor footnote in the history of rock. Spector moved to Los Angeles with his family at the age of nine following the suicide of his father, whose tombstone bore the legend "To know him was to love him". While in high school in Los Angeles, Spector sang at talent shows and assembled a group called the Sleepwalkers. He formed the Teddy Bears with singers Marshall Leib, Annette Kleinbard (b. 13 November 1940, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA) and Harvey Goldstein (who left the group shortly after its formation), after graduating from high school in June 1958. The group recorded a demo of Spector's composition "Don't You Worry My Little Pet", which Dore Records released. For the b-side, Spector's "To Know Him Is To Love Him" was recorded and it was that side which caught the ear of the public, rising to number 1 in the US charts in late 1958. Following that success, the Teddy Bears signed with the larger Imperial Records and recorded an album (the original vinyl is very rare and valuable today) as well as further singles. No more were hits and the group disbanded after Kleinbard was seriously injured in a 1960 car accident.
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CARLOS LYRA - SARAVA! (RCA VICTOR 1970) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

2009-05-10T00:41:00.000+03:00

(Text from the back cover):
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"Gravado no México em 1970, lançado agora pela primeira vez no Brasil, “Saravá” inclui algumas das mais belas canções de Carlos Lyra, como “Também Quem Mandou”, “Feio Não É Bonito” e “O Bem do Amor”, somadas a temas de maior swing como “Até Parece” e “Sambalanço”. Além de inspiradas recriações de “Tristeza”, clássico de Haroldo Lobo & Niltinho, e do “Samba da Benção”, de Baden Powell & Vinicius de Moraes, em uma versão em castelhano preparada pelo próprio Lyra."
Arnaldo DeSouteiro
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A nice mellow, old-school bossa album, recorded in Mexico, where Lyra and other Brazilian luminaries were in cultural exile. This dips a bit into iffy pop territory, but mostly it's exactly the sort of gentle gem that fans of lounge, bossa and jazz are looking for all across the world. Recommended!
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